Spring Cleaning To-Do: Gutters and Downspouts

During the winter, your gutters and downspouts are working overtime.  All the storms have had plenty of time to wash dirt and debris into these funnels that is now stuck and drying out.  It’s important to clean these seasonally to prevent water damage to your home.

Here are some tips for cleaning and repairing your rain gutters and downspouts, courtesy Home Improvement expert Danny Lipford:

• Remove Gutter Debris: Use a garden trowel or your hands to remove leaves and other debris from gutters. You can also use a utility knife to cut the right size plastic container into a scoop for easy debris removal. Once all the debris has been removed, use a garden hose to blast the last of the gunk away.

• Check Downspouts: Insert the garden hose in each downspout, and make sure water is flowing freely out the bottom. If it’s not, you can use a standard plumber’s drain snake to remove the clog.

• Repair Sagging Gutters: To drain properly gutters need to slope slightly downhill toward each downspout and be firmly attached to the eaves on your house. When cleaning your gutters, mark any low areas where water sits in the gutters. Remove the gutter hangers or spikes around the low area, and raise the gutters until the proper slope is achieved (1/4″ drop for 10′ of gutter).

• Fix Gutter Leaks: Mark any leaks in the gutters joints and seams you find. After the gutters are dry, apply gutter sealant or quality exterior caulk to the inside of the gutter seams to seal the leaks.

If you’re unsure about how to proceed, there are many DIY videos available all over the internet.  Or you could call a reputable gutter cleaning/repair person who will gladly do it for you (for a fee).

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Photo Credit: Savelov Maksim / Shutterstock.com