It’s important to clean gutters and downspouts regularly to prevent water damage to your home. Over the Winter months, leaves and other debris have had a chance to build up. And according to the NOAA, even though they can occur year-round, thunderstorms are most likely in the spring and summer months, bringing with them drenching downpours on your home. So now is the time to get on that ladder (taking all safety precautions) and check/clean it out.
According to the experts at Today’s Homeowner, here is how to properly clean your rain gutters and downspouts:
- 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. See the Today’s Homeowner video on Unclogging Downspouts to find out how.
- 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). Watch the Today’s Homeowner video on Fixing Sagging Gutters to find out more.
- 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. Read the Today’s Homeowner article on Gutter Cleaning and Repair to find out more.
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