Fall maintenance –an important step to get your home ready for winter
Fall maintenance –an important step to get your home ready for winter
By GWEN LILLEY
There are two fall home maintenance chores thrifty home owners are giving extra attention this year. It fits in with today's interest in saving money and protecting a home's value by keeping anything but routine wear and tear at bay.
The first is a full winterization check designed to optimize energy cost and efficiency. You can do a pretty good job with some simple tools and easy- to-master techniques that produce comfortable energy savings during the cold months this coming winter. There's also a certain amount of satisfaction in knowing you're optimizing your cash outflow.
The second is the sometimes dreaded gutter clearing. Let's look at this one first and visit winterization next week.
Robert Lenney, the inventor and co-founder of Gutterglove Protection System, is the first to admit that gutter cleaning is a tedious task at best and at its worst, downright dangerous. Some homeowners hire out this chore. But for those who opt to go the do-it-yourself route, here's a check list that will get you started.
Always let someone know when you are cleaning gutters.
Have a plan for how you will work around the power cable that drops from the power pole to the roof of your home. Stay clear of the line, but have a licensed electrical contractor check out and repair any signs of wear that you see.
Use a sturdy, four-legged step ladder for a single story home and an extension ladder for a two-story home. Avoid wooden ladders. Fiberglass ladders are sturdy, but heavy. An aluminum ladder is a good option for strength and support.
Clean the roof of any debris before getting to the gutter work. Sweep any debris off the roof so the next rain won't wash it into a clean gutter. And if you have to walk on the roof, wear rubber soled shoes.
The primary tools you'll need are a garden hose with a pistol-grip nozzle and a gutter scoop. The spray nozzle's trigger comes in handy since it can be hung over the front edge of the gutter while moving the ladder, or while using a gutter scoop. Spraying out the gutter works best if leaves and pine needles have already been removed. Spray toward the downspout so the debris flow down it. If the downspout is connected to an underground drain, the base should be disconnected so debris can be released above ground preventing a potential clog further down the system.
Most hardware stores carry several types of gutter scoops. The metal ones are a poor choice since they can damage the gutter’s seams and floor.
Gloves and protective eye wear should be worn for this job. Gloves protect your hands from debris ridden with bacteria and painful cuts. Eye protection is a must because one never knows what might fly out of the downspout. It's not uncommon to find rats, birds, frogs, or angry wasps and bees leaving at high speeds while a clog is being removed.
After all the gutters are cleaned out, run water in the downspout. If the water backs up, there's a clog. Normally, it can be unclogged by tapping on the side of the downspout. But if that doesn't work, the downspout and back need to be removed, and it should be flushed from the bottom. If a clog is present, and the downspout is connected to an underground drain, it’s best to disconnect the bottom of the downspout from the underground drain. Otherwise, the clog may move to the underground drain.
Knowledge is a powerful tool in a homeowner's arsenal of tools and REALTORS® are one of the best sources for that knowledge. That's why the National Association of Realtors® developed and maintains the Houselogic Web site. The site can be found at www.houselogic.com and offers insightful advice on a variety of topics including improvements, maintenance, taxes and incentives, finances, insurance and current news and insights about housing and homeownership.
