Friday, October 30, 2009

Options For Home Gutter Cleaning

By Andrew Buda

Including gutter cleaning as part of a regular yearly maintenance schedule can save a homeowner many thousands of dollars over the long term. Many people do not think about the need to clean their gutters until after the first heavy rain when the gutters are clogged and damage can occur.

Gutters that are not cleaned can damage the structure of a home and create leaks and cracks in the siding of a home. The purpose of gutters is not only to protect the home but also to protect the roof of a home. When debris is left in gutters and the water is pooling around the eaves of a home there can be a tremendous amount of damage done to the home.

Well maintain gutters that are free of debris allow water to run freely to the downspout and then be deposited away from the foundation of the home. When there is a dent or other damage to a gutter this flow can be interrupted. Without proper repair and maintenance the problem may go unnoticed until damage has occurred to the home which can create a financial burden when the home must be repaired and the gutters replaced.

In many cases a gutter cleaning technician will spot potential issues and be able to resolve them before there is additional cost involved in a repair. They will also make recommendations when gutters need to be refitted or a major repair is needed.

There are minimum tools and equipment that are absolutely necessary to successfully clean a gutter as a do it yourself project. However, they are bulky and one must also include storage space for the repair materials that will be needed when cleaning. It is important that ladders that are used for gutter cleaning have secure steps that are resistant to the slippery debris that will fall on them when cleaning is taking place.

Vinyl gutters also have joining gaskets which may leak over time. When a joining gasket is leaking it will be necessary to replace the gasket to repair the leak. Some people put waterproof silicone on the joints of the gaskets to extend their durability if they live is extremely wet climates.

A vinyl gutter that is bent, damaged, or needs a bracket replaced will require the use of an electric drill with a screwdriver extension. In some cases it will be necessary to replace the gaskets that join vinyl gutters as they will split and leak when under pressure. Therefore it is important to have these materials ready for use prior to beginning the cleaning process.

When removing debris from a gutter it is important to remove the debris and not try to flush it through the downspout of the gutter. Many times a downspout will become clogged when gutter debris is flushed to the spout. These can be very hard to remove when caught in the spout. For this reason one must physically remove leaves and other items from their gutter and only flush the smallest particles through the downspout.

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