The arrival of springtime has a lot of people around the country celebrating – including here in New Jersey. The winters can be long, cold and tough. When they finally give way and warmer breezes start to kick up, it’s like no other feeling in the world.
Another reason to celebrate spring is that so many home improvement and maintenance projects suddenly become possible once again. It’s time to open up that garage door, dust off the tools, put on a pair of gloves and spend some quality time outside.
Gutter maintenance is one of the most important projects you can undertake this time of year. The winter season has brought a great deal of debris down onto your roof, and when the snow finally melts, those gutters often need some attention. Cleaning is the main thing – but gutter maintenance goes beyond that. Here are give gutter maintenance tips for spring.
1. Make safety a top priority
People often climb up and start cleaning the gutters without much a safety plan in place – and this is a huge tactical error. Cleaning your gutters is actually one of the risker projects you’ll do this spring, and safety should always come first. Always make sure you have a strong, sturdy ladder. Wear gloves and a long sleeved shirt to avoid any surprise encounters with sharp objects or debris. Remove accumulated junk with a small plastic scoop to protect yourself, and maintain careful balance!
2. Keep an eye out for damage or flaws in your gutter system
Cleaning your gutters may seem like mundane task, and it’s something you’re glad to be done with – but most homeowners move through this task far too quickly. Now is the time to check for weakness or flaws in your gutter system, and identify any repairs that may need to be made. A careful visual inspection during your gutter cleaning process is always a good idea – provided you keep safety first at all time. That way, you can address small problems before they become big ones.
3. Bring in a professional to get the job done right
Of course, a lot of homeowners choose to bypass the drama completely and bring in a gutter expert to clean, maintain and repair the gutters every spring. This takes the guesswork out of the equation, and is a particularly good option if you think your gutters may need repairs.
Getting the right professional to service your gutters
Whether or not you’re someone who likes to tackle your own home improvement and maintenance projects, gutter repair and maintenance may be something you’d rather trust to the professionals. People are often surprised at how affordable these services are – and just how much time they save. But is there a difference between a professional gutter specialist and someone who does odd jobs, advertising in free online directories? Most definitely. A qualified specialist is going to give you better results with much higher levels of professionalism and safety – and if your gutters are in need of repair, they’ll give it to you straight. Less reputable contractors may give false information, or take shortcuts during routine gutter maintenance tasks. Trust your gutters to a reputable professional and you’ll be much better off!