Your home’s gutter system is built to catch the rain cascading from your roof, safely diverting it away from your property. This helps prevent unwanted damage, such as shingle damage and water leaks. If proper maintenance is done regularly, your gutters should work as effectively all year round. Our roof replacement experts at Roofing Crew share some useful tips below.
Safety Tips When Cleaning Your Gutters
You’ll notice that there’s really no shortage of companies in Knoxville, TN offering their gutter cleaning services. This is inexpensive to do, but that doesn’t necessarily mean it can be done by yourself. The reason why it’s often better to leave the gutter cleaning to the professionals is because they take the right safety precautions and do a great job every time.
- Before cleaning your gutters, you’ll need to use the correct ladder for the job. That means a six-foot A-frame step ladder won’t be tall or stable enough. When placing your ladder against the gutters, make sure the base is on stable ground and that it should be leaning towards the side of your roof just enough that you won’t fall backwards. As much as possible, never walk on your roof to clean your gutters.
- A ladder stabilizer is also usually needed to rest the top of your ladder onto the roof and bridge the gutters. Keep your body between the rails as you climb them, and always have one hand on the ladder.
The tools involved in gutter cleaning can be just as simple as a long garden hose, rubber gloves and a gutter trowel, but professionals would often have other tools in their arsenal to make the job easier to do. If you’re considering a pro roofing contractor to clean up your gutters, don’t hesitate to hire our services!
Other Useful Gutter Cleaning Tips
The debris in your gutters are usually found in two layers: the lighter layer, consisting of leaves, pine cones and twigs, and a heavier layer full of dirt and shingle granules. Use your trowel to clean off the debris, but if some are harder to remove, you may have to do it by hand. Make sure you scrape off the bottom sediment before rinsing the gutters.
During winter, make sure to monitor the ice damming on your gutters. If they start to form, clear them off immediately. When spring comes, check your gutters for any cracks, sags, and other damage sustained over the winter season. We also suggest installing gutter guards and shields, so that you won’t have to worry about clogging throughout the summer and only have to clean minimal debris by the time fall comes.
If you’re looking for an excellent contractor for your roof repair or gutter needs, you can trust Roofing Crew to get the job done right the first time. Call us at (865) 302-3979 or fill out our contact form online to get started!