Spring Tips For Rain Gutter Maintenance

There are always plenty of tasks on your spring to-do list, from cleaning house to readying the yard for the summer growing season. While you’re checking off “inspect the roof” from the list, give your gutters some attention, too. Clogs When your gutters get clogged, the backed up water could damage your roof and underlying wood. A good problem area to start with is the downspout. Most clogged downspouts can be cleared by spraying water up them to dislodge the debris. If the clog is especially stubborn, a toilet snake might do the trick. If worst comes to worst, you may have to remove the entire section to more easily spot the problem. Cleaning Springtime is a great time to clean gutters, since snow melt always leaves behind dirt. If you have a lot of trees on your property, cleaning is an important part of keeping your home in good shape. Another advantage to cleaning is that damage becomes more visible. Things to watch out for include the following.

• Sagging
• Cracks
• Damaged or missing fasteners
• Holes
• Corrosion

Some gutters may be sloping in the wrong direction, as well. This causes problems because water is being routed into the house instead of away from it. When this happens, your home is more prone to mold, mildew and wood rot. Fixing the Problems You should be able to fix minor problems, like small cracks, yourself. This is usually less expensive than having someone else do it for you, and can save you the frustration involved in larger home repairs. Most home improvement stores sell gutter sealers and waterproofing products for this purpose. Before you apply them according to the provided directions, make sure the gutter is dried thoroughly and sanded. However, if your problems are too big to fix yourself, or you’re not comfortable with the task, there are professional available to help you mend the damage. Quarve Contracting, Inc. installs and repairs seamless gutters in the St. Paul/Minneapolis area.