Guide to Cleaning Out Your Gutters and Downspouts

Having clean and functional gutters and downspouts is key for your home's maintenance. To learn how to do it on your own, read this tutorial by Daniel's DKI in Palm Springs.

How to Clean Your Gutters and Downspouts

Call Daniel's DKI at (760) 320-2128 if your home is in dire need of professional restoration services in Palm Springs.

Gather the Necessary Supplies

First things first: no matter how easy of a maintenance job this is, it will be made incredibly more difficult if you don't have the right supplies to carry it out. That's why, before you begin, you need to guarantee you'll have everything you need. Here's an idea of what that will be:

a high-pressure hose
an auger
a sturdy ladder
a scooper
garbage bags
gloves
comfy clothes you don't mind getting dirty
sunscreen
a hat

Another thing you will need, even if it's not a supply per se, is a sunny day, so you can work on your gutters and downspouts without putting yourself in danger.

Prepare for the Cleaning

If you want to be as safe as possible during this cleaning job, there will be a few things you'll have to do. For example, before getting up on the ladder, make sure it is in a secure position, so you can avoid the risk of falling down while you're on it. If you can, ask a friend or family member to hold the ladder for you, so can feel extra secure while working.

As previously stated, you should be working on a sunny day to prevent injuries. However, if that's the case, don't forget to protect your skin from the sun: wear your sunscreen, hats, and sunglasses to that end.

Work on the Gutters

Next up comes the good part: getting your gutters cleaned from all of the dust, debris, dead leaves, dirt, and random garbage that gets stuck in them, and prevent rainfall from making its way down. To make that happen, you will have to grab the aforementioned scooper and, as its name states, scoop out the filth and gunk that you find in the gutters. It is highly recommended that you also grab the garbage bags. This, so you can easily place everything you scoop out in them, and take all of that trash to the trash can in a more effective way.

Daniel's DKI can solve your water damage problems. Call (760) 320-2128 to get a free estimate for restoration services in Palm Springs.

Wash the Gutters

Now, as you probably noticed while you were working on your gutters, not all of it will be come out easily. Some of the garbage in your gutters will be really stuck on them.

To get them unstuck, you will need a high-pressure hose. Aim it at the trash to force it out with the water. If needed, grab your scooper once more and use it to scrape the last bits out of there.

And while you're flushing water down the gutters, verify that the downspouts are disposing of the liquids in an effective manner. If they aren't, follow the next step in this tutorial.

Unclog the Downspouts

So, continuing with the tip above, you should be paying attention to how the downspouts are disposing of the water. If you notice that the water isn't making its way down efficiently, then it may be because the downspouts are clogged (trash can be the culprit).

Luckily, getting that stuff out can also be a fairly easy task. You just need to take the auger and push or pull the barrier to free the water's way. As you go through this process, flush some more water down the tube to guarantee that you've successfully unclogged the downspouts.

Perform This Task With Regularity

If your gutters and downspouts are clogged, the water on your roof can get stuck up there, making your home more prone to severe water damage and mold development. To make sure this doesn't happen to you, it is important that you go through the previous steps a few times over the year (for instance, twice - once in spring and once in autumn).

This will help you be certain that this system will be cleared and ready to perform its job. If you keep up with this and other seasonal maintenance tasks for your home, you'll surely be able to keep it in mint condition, pretty, functional, and safe, for years to come.

If your home has suffered and is now in need of professional restoration services in Palm Springs, turn to Daniel's DKI. Call (760) 320-2128 for more information on how they can assist you.

72064 Adelaid Street, Suite AThousand Palms CA 92276

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