Autumn Home Maintenance

Is it me or is it all of sudden the clock strikes 12:01 on November 1st and almost every single leaf has fallen to the ground.  Leave bags are becoming harder to find and rake prices seem to be on the rise.  But like clockwork, what comes with eating your kid’s Halloween candy is also the time for your autumn home maintenance.  Cleaning the yard, raking, blowing, and bagging the leaves.  But while you’re outside on that brisk Sunday afternoon before the Patriots kick off, add cleaning your gutters to that list.  It’s really easy to do and could save you from some pretty big damage in the upcoming season.  Here are some simple steps to make sure your gutters aren’t clogged and that they are ready for the winter.

Simple and easy way to clean your gutter

To clean out your gutters you will need a trowel, a ladder, buckets, garden hose, gutter cleaning attachment and gutter sealant.  All of these are easy to find.  You probably have them in your house already and if not they are available at your local hardware store.   To begin, clean the downspout removing any twigs, leaves, and dirt. Flush out any other debris. If the water doesn’t drain properly through the downspout, there is probably a clog.

How to clean your clogged gutter

Here’s how to do it:
  1. Insert the end of the plumber’s snake in the downspout until it meets resistance.
  2. Turn the crank and work it back and forth to loosen the clog.
  3. Insert a garden hose in the downspout and turn on the water to flush out any debris.

So you’re probably thinking why on earth has F & B Insurance now become a DIY for my home?  These simple steps could save you from a huge property claim.  When your gutters are clogged with leaves water cannot properly drain, therefore the water runs down into the foundation which could cause big damage! This type of damage could include the rot of fascia boards, therefore making it easier for water to enter the house to cause wall and ceiling damage.  Your homeowners policy will probably cover the damage, but you’ll still be out the deductible and have to put up with the hassle of getting it fixed.

So before that cold air comes in and going outside requires ten layers of clothing, get outside clean your gutters!

Remember these safety tips –

  1. Always use a sturdy ladder and wear shoes with non-slip soles.
  2. The ladder should be tall enough so you don’t have to stand on the top rung or overreach, both of which increase the risk of falling.
  3. Recruit an assistant who can steady the bottom of the ladder and hand up tools.

 

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