Rain Gutter Safety Tips

Rain Gutter Cleaning Orange County could save you big bucks in expensive home repairs. The gutter of your roof is specifically designed to protect the roof, sides, foundation, windows, and doors from water damage. Yet when you do not do proper gutter cleaning, the gutters get clogged with leaves, twigs, and other foreign debris. This results in water that flows slowly, which eventually damages your roof. It also increases the risks for mold and mildew growth due to damp areas. If this happens, you will have to replace the entire roof.

rain gutter

However, it’s not a pretty sight. The accumulated dirt, debris, and even insects on your gutters without any cleaning are a sight to behold. If you are in this situation, you need not fret as there are a number of ways to conveniently get into your gutters without needing a ladder. These include:

Walk-through gutter protection system. The walk-through system is installed at the base of the rain gutters to allow water to pass through. The benefit of this system is that it prevents debris from entering your gutters and damaging the roof and foundation. Yet, it may not be suitable for large buildings like condominiums. It’s not difficult to install, but the cost of the unit is quite high.

Downspouts. The downspouts carry excess weight as rainwater falls from your rooftop. You have two options when installing them – either you can opt for non-metallic or for metallic downspouts. However, non-metallic downspouts are not that sturdy and this may pose a security risk in your home. A heavy metal downspout may not only damage your ceilings and walls, but it can also collapse if it is being repeatedly used by your household pets.

Clogged gutters. If dirt has clumped up at the base of your rain gutters, the water may not be properly diverted to the gutter and this can cause damage to your eaves, floor, and walls. The accumulation of dirt may even seep into the downspouts. Thus, it is important that you regularly check your gutters to see whether they are clogged.

Ladder. You can use a simple ladder to access the gutter. This can help you get rid of extra debris. But if your ladder is not strong enough, you may end up toppling over. Thus, it is important that you invest in a good ladder.

Leg Levelers. A lot of people who are cleaning their gutters do not realize that one of the best tools that you can buy is a set of leg levelers. These are especially useful if the ladder that you are using is too flimsy. With a set of levelers, you can safely remove extra debris without having to worry about falling.

Bucket. Rain gutters can be notoriously messy. Not only will you have to move tons of dirt, there is also the possibility that some of the debris will fall into the buckets that you are using for cleaning them. If the bucket does not carry much debris, it can be hard to maneuver and clean the gutter at the same time. In addition to making cleaning the buckets easier, a rain gutter bucket also ensures that any falling debris will not enter into your home.

Ladder. Even if your gutters are very small, it is a good idea to invest in a larger ladder so you can get closer to the top of the gutter. This way, you can prevent the extra weight from tipping your gutters over and causing more damage to your home’s exterior.

Rain Gutter Cleaning Gloves. It is important that you use the right type of cleaning tools when cleaning gutters. For example, if you are using a ladder to clean the gutter, you should not use a metal bladed tool to do the job. Using such a tool can cause serious bodily injury.

Gutter Cloth. Many homeowners fail to realize the importance of cleaning their gutters on a regular basis. The truth is that rain gutters accumulate debris and leaves over the years. Over time, this debris can actually weigh down the gutters. Cloth or vinyl gutter cleaners can help you get rid of this unwanted weight, thereby improving the appearance of your home’s exterior.