As we have seen time and time again, Florida is very prone to hurricanes and while the entire state may not get directly hit from each one it is always good to be prepared before one should potentially approach. While you want to have batteries, flashlights, water and all the other essentials you will also want your gutters to be hurricane-ready.
That’s because your gutters direct rainfall away from your home and prevent flooding. This only works if your gutters are free of debris and in good working space.
To do this you will need a variety of items including:
- A ladder
- Bucket with metal hook
- Garden hose
- Rags or Paper Towels
- Waterproof gloves
- Gutter Scooper
When you raise your ladder to get to the gutters you should wear gloves to protect your hands from getting scratched up. You will want to put all your tools in the bucket and the bucket should be fastened to the ladder with rope or a wire-type hook.
You will then want to start cleaning a stretch of the gutter at the downspout area. This is where debris such as twigs and leaves usually collects up and blocks the water’s path to the downspout. Once you finish that area, you will want to work your way up the gutter putting the collected debris into the gutter or dumping it to the ground.
Once the cleaning is complete, you will want to flush your gutters with a garden-type host. This will give you a good sense of how well the gutters are now draining once you cleared them out. It will also help detect if there were areas you missed and need to check again.
While this process can be tedious it is important to have done before a major storm or hurricane comes as the last thing you want is damage to the foundation of your home.
To make things easier though, hire a professional like Jerry’s Gutters. We have been servicing gutters in Palm Beach County for over 30 years and will make sure everything is working properly before a storm arises. Call us today at 561-424-1188.