Last call to clean gutters

December 3,2000

Even though it’s getting late, there

still may be time to take care of one

of the most overlooked and necessary

winterization tasks – gutter maintenance.

It doesn’t matter whether your

home is brand new or 50 years old.

According to Keith Paul, president

of HandyPro Handyman Service in

Plymouth, gutter maintenance in fall

can eliminate many potential problems

during the cold months.

As long as it’s above freezing, go at

it. But be careful on the ladder.

“Most people spend a lot of time

putting away lawn furniture, changing

their furnace filters or making

sure their windows are sealed with

weather stripping, but they neglect

to clean and check the gutters,” Paul

said.

“If the home’s gutters are full of

leaves and debris, aren’t properly

aligned or have leaks in the seams, it

could cause problems when the winter

snows melt in spring,” he said.

Paul suggests the following maintenance

tips:

Clean leaves and other devris

from the inside of the gutters, and

make sure the holes going to the

downspout are clear to allow water to

run freely.

If you have lots of trees around

your home, consider putting screen

over the gutters to keep leaves out.

n Check the seams in the gutters

and downspouts for leaks. If the

seams are leaking, clean the seam

with a wire brush to remove old

caulk or adhesive and recaulk with a

silicone caulk.

n Make sure the downspouts drain

far enough away from the home to

avoid puddles in the grass. Buy

downspout extensions to help the

water drain farther from the home, if

necessary.

Check the gutters to make sure they’re aligned
properly to allow water flow to the downspouts. If

they aren’t properly aligned, reposition

them to increase the water flow toward the

downspouts.

Properly working gutters allow water to

drain quickly and away from the house,

which helps alleviate the potential for ice

dams building up and causing roof leaks.

Paul added that gutters that don’t

leak also make sure that water doesn’t

drip on the porch or sidewalk, which could

then freeze and cause someone to slip and

fall.

“Many homeowners, especially senior

citizens, aren’t comfortable climbing on

their roof to clean or fix their gutters, and

we get a lot of calls during this time of

year to handle people’s gutter maintenance

or to replace the gutters,” Paul said.

“It’s better to have a professional service

do it rather than risk an injury if someone

falls off a ladder or a roof.”

HandyPro, (800) 942-6394, has been

providing handyman services in the

Detroit area since 1996.

The Observer & Eccentric/SUNDAY, DECEMBER 3, 2000