How great was 2014? Well, it was spectacular! And 2015 promises to be even better!

With a new year started, I’m so excited to unveil my new website and hope you find it informative and easy to navigate. In the coming days, we hope to have the site full of “how to’s” and “should do’s” to help you decide how best to protect what may very well be your most important investment – your home.

So let’s get right to it, shall we?

We Floridians are so fortunate not to have to worry about all of that white stuff blanketing the northern states. The sun shines every day, well almost every day, and the beaches are always busy with surf combers and sunbathers. But just because we happen to live in paradise doesn’t mean we don’t have our own set of “winterizing” tasks that need tending to.

With the cooler temperatures and the blustery winds, you can count on all of those beautiful trees to be loosing their leaves and clogging your gutters. Although most people think cleaning the gutters twice a year is sufficient, we highly recommend you do this four times a year instead due to the type of trees and weather patterns we have here in Florida.

If gutters and downspouts are allowed to remain clogged and rainwater doesn’t flow properly, damage can occur and costly home repairs can start adding up. Cleaning gutters is fairly easy, as long as you do it safely. Too many homeowners are injured every year from falling off ladders during this tedious chore.

If you’re bound and determined to do this one yourself, here are a few tips to keep in mind before starting:

Always let someone know you will be doing ladder work on your roof or gutters. Use a sturdy ladder; preferably with a shelf strong enough to hold a five-gallon bucket to hold the debris you collect from the gutters. Fiberglass ladders seem to be the sturdiest, but can get heavy after a few hours of work and moving them multiple times. If you tend to tire, try using the second choice option of an aluminum ladder instead. Be sure to check the ladder for any defects or loose parts before using.

Use a garden hose with a pistol-grip spray nozzle. This type of nozzle allows you to hang it over the edge of the gutter while scooping debris and moving your ladder. You can also control the water pressure with just one hand. This type of nozzle is available at most hardware or big box stores.

Remove the leafy debris from the gutters. The best tool for this is a gutter scoop, again available at most hardware or big box stores. It’s a handy tool designed specifically for this task with a very thin front scooping edge. It also forms itself to the bottom of the gutter, making it a piece of cake to scoop out even the most stubborn debris in any size gutter. Don’t use a metal scoop. This can damage and scratch your gutter and seams.

Gutters can be chock full of some pretty nasty stuff, including bird and squirrel droppings that are ridden with bacteria. Gloves will also protect your hands from getting cut on any ragged edges. The best gloves for this job are made of thick, suede material.

As with any home maintenance job, you need to protect your eyes. You never know what might fly out at you while cleaning the gutters and downspouts. No one wants a bee sting in the eye!

The first thing to do is to clear the roof of all debris with a rake or broom. If you skip this step, you run the risk of all the debris washing down into the clean gutters during the next rain. Be sure to wear rubber-soled shoes to prevent slipping or falling. Best time to walk on a roof is late morning or early afternoon after the sun has had a chance to dry up all the moisture.

Once the gutters are done, run the hose down the downspout at full pressure. If it backs up out of the top, you’ve got a clog. Usually, simply tapping on the side of the downspout can clear this. If that doesn’t work, you’ll have to remove the downspout to clear it. If it is connected to an underground drain, be sure to disconnect it first in order to avoid the clog moving underground.

Inspect any electrical cables that may connect to the roof before starting. Make sure they are not damaged or showing signs of wear-and-tear. If there appears to be damage present, do not attempt to repair it. Call a licensed professional to fix it (like DC Construction!). You should also wait to clean your gutters until the repair is completed.

Installing gutter guards can help cut down on the debris that can collect over time. Review the manufacturer’s claims carefully before purchasing. Many promises are made that simply can’t be delivered.

8 TIPS FOR GUTTER CLEANING


Let someone know your are cleaning your gutters

Use a safe and secure ladder

Rake or sweep leaves off the roof first

Wear rubber-soled shoes when walking on roof

Use plastic gutter scoop

Unclog downspouts

Watch out for hazardous power lines

Of course, if you’d rather spend your time on the golf course or walking our beautiful beaches, you can always call DC Construction! Not only can we handle your gutter-cleaning project, but we can also check your gutters and fascia for any potential issues.

However you approach it, be sure to look after those gutters and protect yourself from some costly repairs later on.