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Essentially, proper
maintenance of your home's gutters entails removing debris that can
clog the system, looking for rust, corrosion, and low spots that may
be collecting water.
To properly clean your gutters, follow these simple steps:
Remove debris. The most important task is to get rid of any debris
that may be clogging the gutters and downspouts. Clogged gutters
don't allow moisture to move through the system, which can cause
rust, rot, and corrosion. To remove debris, simply fasten a metal
angle to the end of a long pole or board and rake the material
toward you. Then use a wire brush to scrape anything that's left
over.
Using a hose, wash the gutters. Anything that's left should be
washed out with a hose starting at the high end of each run or in
the middle of runs with spouts at both ends.
Get rid of any remaining blockage. Anything blocking the gutters can
be removed with water pressure or a plumber's snake. If this doesn't
work you'll have to take apart the downspouts to remove any
blockage.
Scrape the gutter. If you discover rust inside of the gutter, scrape
it clean with a wire brush and apply a thin coat of roofing cement.
Wood gutters: sand and seal. If your home has wood gutters, they may
require sanding down to the bare wood to remove any problems. Then
apply linseed oil, leave time for it to dry, and apply 2 coats of
roofing cement.
Again, standing water is what causes most problems with a home's
gutters. Even if you follow proper maintenance procedures, standing
water can be an issue if the gutters don't slope properly toward
their outlets. To check if your gutters slope, pour water into the
gutter and watch where the water goes.
If something is wrong with your gutters and they do not slope
downward, you can eliminate sags by lifting the gutter a little and
repairing loose hangers, or bending the hanger up with some pliers.
You can also install another hanger if need be. |
