Summer has ended and the leaves are already falling from the trees in Maplewood, New Jersey. This is the perfect time to clean your rain gutters. Depending on the style of house you own this can be a simple do-it-yourself job or it might require the skills of professionally trained contractors like Olger Fallas Painting. Yep, he and his staff also do gutter cleaning.
If you live in a one story house and aren’t afraid of heights or getting up on a ladder this is a pretty simple weekend task. However, if like most owners in New Jersey you have a multi-level house then you really need to consider some safety issues before moving forward by yourself.
Are you asking yourself what exactly are home gutters and why do I need them? A rain gutter is a thin channel attached to the edge of your roof that helps to protect the exterior siding of your home. It prevents damage to the outside of windows and doors and can minimize flooding in basements. Rain water moves through the gutter to a downspout that directs water away from the home.
Clogged gutters prevent the water from moving through the system. This can cause the rain to back up and overflow. This increases the risk of them pulling away from the edge of the house. If the clog isn’t maintained the gutters will eventually loosen from their mountings and come crashing to the ground.
Clean Gutters
If you do plan on cleaning rain gutters yourself, never attempt it when the roof is wet or icy. Also be aware of the wind conditions planned for the day. Remember to wear heavy boots with a non-slip heal and never work near power lines. You’ll need a pair of heavy work gloves and safety goggles because the surface of the gutters could have sharp edges and the act of reaching in and pulling out loose material means dust and debris will be released into the air. You don’t want that debris ending up in your eye either from the wind or by accidental rubbing. A bucket and drop cloth are also essential. Don’t make a mess and throw the debris onto the ground for pickup later. These easy to purchase items will save you time and aggravation when it comes to clean up.
Ok, now that you’ve got all the essentials the first thing you want to do is scoop out all the loose debris. The drain outlet at the lowest end of the gutter will have the most build up. Work from this point outward removing everything by hand or use a trowel. Take your garden hose and wash out the whole gutter, pushing the water toward the drain outlet where you started. If the water is still backing up you’ll need to use a snake to clean out the downspouts. Is it a messy job? You bet!
Want to know a secret? Hiring gutter cleaners isn’t that expensive. In fact Olger Fallas Painting has a really quick and simple method for gutter cleaning. The same power washing equipment they use for cleaning decks is also used on home gutters. Olger and his staff are known throughout northern New Jersey for their level of expertise when it comes to deck refinishing and a big part of that job is pressure washing. If you don’t want to spend a weekend standing on a ladder covered in muck it’s probably best to give them a call.
Have any great stories about clogged gutters? We would love to hear from you. Leave a comment.
