School is back in session and the temperature is dropping. This is the time of year when the stores start to put out decorations for holidays and the barbecue grills get stored for another winter.
This is also the time when homeowners start to do all of the end of summer chores needed to get their home transitioned from hot weather to cold.
Making sure that your gutters are cleaned out is one of those very important tasks. The gutter system on your roof may not seem like a plumbing issue – but, it is directly related to the water-diversion plan that protects your home.
The gutters on your roof are designed to carry water away from your home by funneling it through various gulleys and spouts.
The downspouts then flush the water out and away from your home so that it can drain off your property and out to the sewer system.
However, if there is a kink in the system, your gutters will overflow water and that water will collect around the foundation of your home. This can lead to flooding of your basement, which results in mold and mildew growth.
To avoid this scenario altogether, follow these simple tips for getting your gutters cleaned out:
- Lay some painting plastic down along the edge of your home, under where you are cleaning your gutters out. You can get rolls of plastic for fairly inexpensive at your local home improvement store. It doesn’t have to be the thick stuff, just the cheapest they have on the shelf
- Put on your protective gear including; gloves, work boots or tennis shoes (do not wear sandals or flip flops), goggles or sunglasses to protect your eyes
- Carefully climb a ladder – make sure you have someone to spot you while you are on the ladder
- Use a garden trough or large spoon to scoop out all of the debris from the gutters. Let the materials fall onto the plastic sheeting that is below
- Once you have made it down the entire gutter, simply roll up the plastic sheeting and put it into the trash can
Use these next few weeks of mild weather to get your gutters cleaned out from all leaves and debris – before the fall rains start.
This is a simple chore that should definitely be on your list and may need to be done more than once as the leaves fall throughout the season.