Taking Proper Care of Your Roof Gutters
It may not be your first priority, but cleaning out your roof gutters is one of the most important tasks you can do as a property owner. Gutter cleaning is not fun, but by cleaning them yourself, or hiring professional gutter cleaners from CPC services or Complete Gutter Solutions in Melbourne, you can prevent expensive property damage. The best time to clean them is in the fall and in spring. If you have trouble remembering, it’s easy to set up biannual reminders on your calendar or smartphone.
Gutter Cleaning – Is it really Necessary?
It’s extremely important to clean your roof gutters at least once a year. Professional gutter cleaners suggest to do it twice a year if you have trees that overhang the property. While it may seem like a daunting task, gutter cleaning is actually fairly simple if you don’t mind the mess. If you decide to go it alone, first make sure you are wearing clothes you don’t mind getting soiled, including a shirt with long sleeves. Grab a pair of rubber gloves, and a good extendable ladder. If you have stabilizers, using them will prevent the ladder from damaging your roof gutters.
If possible, ask a second person to hold the base of the ladder for safety purposes. Using a plastic shovel, simply scoop the gunk from the gutters and discard. Specialized gutter scoops are available from hardware stores, or you can use a child’s sandbox shovel if you have one. To prevent lawn damage, it is a good idea to spread out a large plastic tarp underneath your working space. After you have cleared your roof gutters, use a garden hose to flush them with water. You can also check for any leaks at this time. If all of that does not sound like something you would like to do yourself, you can hire professional gutter cleaners to do the job for you, though prices will vary widely depending on the size of the house. For recommendations for top gutter cleaners, ask your friends and neighbors, or even your local hardware store.
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Gutter Guard Installation – Should I hire a professional?
Gutter guards are devices that promise to keep your gutters clean and free of debris, such as leaves, pine needles, and even water. They may also be called leaf guards, gutter covers, or gutter screens. If you find that cleaning gutters is not a task you enjoy, you may wish to consider gutter guard installation. There are five main types of gutter guards for installation: mesh gutter guards, which are metal sheets with small holes that attach to your roof shingles and cover your gutter; reverse curve gutter guards, which point water and debris to flow downward; bottle brush gutter guards, which are made of upward facing bristles placed inside the gutter, catching the debris; nylon gutter guards, which are specially designed to prevent snow buildup; and foam gutter guards, which are made of plastic and fit directly into your gutter.
Should you handle your own gutter guard installation? Theoretically, yes, though it may be simpler to just hire a professional gutter guard installation company to complete the task.
High Pressure Cleaning – The simple way to clean your roof gutters
Using a high pressure cleaning device like a pressure washer can shorten the amount of time you spend cleaning your gutters significantly. If your house is two stories, you’ll need a telescoping wand, and a special gutter cleaning attachment. This attachment can be found at most home improvements stores in the high pressure cleaning area. High pressure cleaning is extremely efficient and cost effective.
Read more about gutter cleaning in Melbourne on Gutter Guards Australia – a portal the features the best gutter guard specialists „down under“.