Do you need to clean your gutters this winter?

Now that the fall is coming to an end and winter is just around the corner, most home owners know what the next big house maintenance job is. That's correct; it's time to start making plans to cleaning your gutters! Ok, let's get really , cleaning the gutters around your home is not exactly the most exciting job you can think off, but can also be quite dangerous and a nightmare if you don't like heights. If this is you then my advice is to hire a professional. or learn how to clean your gutters the proper way, with safety in mind.

But if heights don't present a problem to you then you may like the idea of saving your self some money and clean our own gutters.

To start with, you will need to choose a good time to go out and do the work. You should ideally plan your outside gutter cleaning about two three before hand, the reason is? It is not uncommon to get your gutters immaculate clean only to have a massive down pour almost immediately afterwards, undoing all your hard work by re-filling your gutters again with leaves ect. So always take a look at the advance weather forecast and select a time that is going to be the most pleasant to work in.

Once you have decided on the day you are going to do the cleaning, it's now time to make sure you have all the equipment. You will need a small trowel for scooping the leaves and mosses out of the gutters and a container to but them in. You will also need a tall ladder high enough to get up to your gutters. This may mean that you will have to buy a ladder but before you do it may make more financial sense to check out the cost of renting one from our local hire company.

Make sure that the ladder is stable and is positioned on even ground and it is at the right angle before you venture up it. For additional safety reasons it is best to have someone else is at home with you when you set out to clean the gutters. If you slip or fall, you need to have someone available who can call for help, if necessary.

The next step is to look around your house and make a plan of action. It is a good idea, before you start work to form a system to help you determine the most time efficient route for move around your home.

To quickly recap, gutter cleaning is vital part of looking after our home and should never be taken lightly. It's messy and there is always a risk of falling from your ladder and hurting yourself. If you are not physically fit and a bit weary of heights, then don't risk it, hire a professional tradesman instead. A commercial gutter cleaning company will have the correct equipment, trained personal and the experience for suitably cleaning your gutters

But whatever you do don't neglect cleaning your gutters; gutters overflowing can cause thousands of dollars in damage.