Some people almost have a heart attack when they think of cleaning out their gutters. If you belong in this category of people, then you really need to slow down and take a break in your thought process. That is because making sure your gutters are always clean is something you can do on your own without breaking a leg or a hand.Â
Are you saying that this is sounding too easy right now? Well, this post will be walking you through some essential tips that are useful when cleaning your gutters.
First Things First
To get started, you will need a ladder. Climb onto the ladder and clear the gutters of any goop. Decomposed leaves form the bulk of the compost or mulch. You should pay particular attention to your gutter’s downspout. There should be no leaves or debris clogging that channel, because if there is, water flow will be badly obstructed.
Watch out for leaks
You want to look through your gutter and see if there is anything that could be responsible for leaks, which includes holes along the gutter, as well as cracked caulking seams. Make use of any old chisel for scraping out the caulking that is old out. After that, dry the place very well. Then apply a bead silicon sealing that is new, so as to prevent water from leaking out through the back of the gutters.
Rivets are a suspect
As you carry out your inspection, also check for rivets that are loose or have fallen out completely over the period of time. With a rivet gun, you would be able to replace the loose or worn out rivets with new ones. It doesn’t really cost much to get a new one from the store.
The Actual Cleaning
After checking out all what has been mentioned above, this is the part where you use a pressure washer to clean the gutter. It is cheaper to rent one. All you have to do is observe every instruction regarding how the washer should be used and you’d be good to go. In most cases, the washer has to be used with garden hose or with some other form of cleaner.
Rust Gutters
Gutters become rust when they are old. Fortunately, you can decide to work with the new vinyl and aluminum gutters because they do not rust. However, if you still like to use your old gutters, you can always get rid of all the rust, prime the surface with a high quality primer, before painting with any paint that has anti-rust properties.
And you equally have to know the status of your splash block as that is very essential to your gutter’s functioning. It prevents the water flowing through the downspout from digging a hole close to your house, thereby protecting the foundation of your house.