One of the reasons for moisture in a basement is that rainwater is not carried away from the foundation. A solution to this problem might be to add gutters to a house. Once gutters have been put into place, it is important to keep them clean and to keep splash blocks or gutter downspout extensions installed properly to direct water away from the house.
What you will need to clean your gutters:
- ladder (and a friend to hold it!)
- rubber gloves
- bucket (to put leaves from gutter in)
The process is pretty simple - climb up the ladder and start removing the leaves, pine needles, twigs and everything else from your gutters. When I cleaned my gutters, I put everything from my gutters into a bucket that I could carry to a compost pile, since I didn't want little piles of leaves and twigs left in the yard. For more detail on the process, check out the instructions from
eHow. If you don't feel comfortable doing this yourself, talk to a neighbor, friend, family member or anyone else that might be willing and able to help! Or, if you are 60 years or older and own your home, contact the
Elderly Maintenance Program at 679-2202.
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I have to agree that if you don't want to damage your house's foundation, you should clean your gutters. While you're at it, you should also be careful, since you'll be using the ladder most of the time.
ReplyDeleteAnthony Blommel
It seems those gutters weren’t cleaned for a long time. Am I right, Jennifer? I think this example can prove to us that cleaning gutters is not that difficult, provided that we’re doing it correctly. If you’re going to remove debris, you have to do it gently. Pushing hard on the debris might break the gutters. This will also force you into a precarious position, where you are leaning dangerously over the edge of the roof. If you’re going to use machines such as leaf blowers to force the debris out, remember to position yourself carefully. Be careful not to get any dust blown into your eyes. Lastly, if possible, have someone to assist you when you’re going up and down the ladder.
ReplyDeleteHerb Koguchi
Cleaning gutters is definitely easier said than done. It’s because you have to be thorough with it, while you’re balancing yourself on top of a ladder. To do it properly, you’ll need to have stamina, concentration, and of course, experience. And if you don’t feel comfortable doing it, you can always call professional roofers to do the work for you.
ReplyDeleteMissie Rice
When you’re cleaning gutters, I suggest taking a closer look at the roof as well. If you have a heavily clogged gutter, there’s a chance that the water re-routed, which can cause damages to the roof. You’re not going to clean gutters every day, anyway. You might as well maximize your time up there!
ReplyDeleteGabrielle Jeromy