Fall Is Definitely in the Air
October 5, 2009
Our Southern California Fall Season is here. Cool nights, warm days, clear skies with a few puffy clouds are a real treat after the 100 degree weather of just a week ago. For homeowners, Fall is a time to do some yearly maintenance before the rainy season is upon us.
It was once the case that very few homes actually had rain gutters, but they have become more popular. Not necessarily because we have so much rain, but because when it does rain, gutters and downspouts keep the rain from pouring off the roof everywhere and allow for directing it for use in the garden or collecting it in a rain barrel.
However, from time to time, gutters become filled with leaves and dirt and downspouts become clogged. So, in these beautiful cooler days, it is a great time to clean them out.
Choose a sturdy ladder, preferably a step ladder, but if you have to use an extension ladder, don't lean it against the gutters as you are likely to cause a dent. Wear heavy gloves, since gutters are often made of metal (although nowadays there are ones made of fiberglass) and the metal could have some sharp edges at the seams. It is also a good ides to wear safety glasses or goggles. Most often, gutters can be cleaned by simply using your hands and scooping out the accumulated debris and then rinsing them out. Using a garden trowel can also be very effective. Some folks get fancy and use a leaf blower. If you have a leaf catching system consisting of screening, hopefully the screening can be lifted out and rinsed off with a hose. If the down spouts are clogged, shooting water with a high powered nozzle on the garden hose should clear out the debris.
If you notice that some of the gutters have separated from the house, either nail them back in place or call a gutter installer to tighten them up.
Do it now and you will be grateful when your gutters are doing a proper job when "El Nino" brings us a true rainy season.
Our Southern California Fall Season is here. Cool nights, warm days, clear skies with a few puffy clouds are a real treat after the 100 degree weather of just a week ago. For homeowners, Fall is a time to do some yearly maintenance before the rainy season is upon us.
It was once the case that very few homes actually had rain gutters, but they have become more popular. Not necessarily because we have so much rain, but because when it does rain, gutters and downspouts keep the rain from pouring off the roof everywhere and allow for directing it for use in the garden or collecting it in a rain barrel.
However, from time to time, gutters become filled with leaves and dirt and downspouts become clogged. So, in these beautiful cooler days, it is a great time to clean them out.
Choose a sturdy ladder, preferably a step ladder, but if you have to use an extension ladder, don't lean it against the gutters as you are likely to cause a dent. Wear heavy gloves, since gutters are often made of metal (although nowadays there are ones made of fiberglass) and the metal could have some sharp edges at the seams. It is also a good ides to wear safety glasses or goggles. Most often, gutters can be cleaned by simply using your hands and scooping out the accumulated debris and then rinsing them out. Using a garden trowel can also be very effective. Some folks get fancy and use a leaf blower. If you have a leaf catching system consisting of screening, hopefully the screening can be lifted out and rinsed off with a hose. If the down spouts are clogged, shooting water with a high powered nozzle on the garden hose should clear out the debris.
If you notice that some of the gutters have separated from the house, either nail them back in place or call a gutter installer to tighten them up.
Do it now and you will be grateful when your gutters are doing a proper job when "El Nino" brings us a true rainy season.
posted by shirley harry at 8:14 AM
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