Tips for Cleaning and Repairing Gutters
US Aluminum Services wants to share some helpful tips to maintain gutters yourself!
These basic tips from Brad Staggs, Ask DIY home repair expert, answer commonly asked questions about cleaning and repairing gutters.
>> There are just a few steps to follow in order to maintain gutters yourself. My first recommendation is to climb a ladder and clean the goop out of the gutters. Pay particular attention to the downspout. If leaves and debris are clogging it, water won’t drain properly, and along with mildew and mud you’ll end up with sagging gutters.
>> Another thing you want to look at are the sources of any leaks, including holes in the gutters and cracked caulking in the seams. Use an old chisel to scrape the old caulking out and dry the area thoroughly. Then use new bead silicon sealing to keep water from getting down behind the gutters and rotting the boards.
>> Once you’ve finished with the mechanics, you can attend to cleaning the gutters. The best way is with a pressure washer, which you can rent or even purchase for anywhere from $60 to hundreds of dollars. Follow the instructions that come with the washer to the letter; usually the washer can be used with garden-hose water or some type of cleaner. A pressure washer won’t hurt the gutters provided you’ve secured the gutters with screws or new spikes.
>>If the gutters are rusting, they are very old. They’ve moved to aluminum and vinyl gutters now, and they don’t rust. You might want to consider new gutters. But if you’re going to stay with the old ones, get all the rust off, sand them down, paint them with a good primer and then with a good-quality rust-inhibiting paint.
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