Clogged gutters can cause many problems around your Thousand Oaks home. Along with ice dam issues and mold growth, a buildup of roof water might result in pooling around your home’s foundation. In this scenario, moisture could enter your basement and cause extensive water damage. Performing safe gutter cleaning a couple of times every year allows you to protect your home from damage. However, the cleaning process can be challenging depending on the height of your gutters, which is why you should follow some basic safety measures.
Properly Use a Ladder
Cleaning out your gutters requires using a ladder. If you’re doing this work yourself, it’s highly recommended that you tell someone you know that you’re tending to the gutters, which reduces the possibility that you get injured and don’t have anyone there to help you.
If you have a single-story home, a standard stepladder will likely be enough for you. However, extension ladders might be required for a two-story structure. Before using the ladder, check it to ensure it’s durable and doesn’t contain any defects. You can collect debris in a bucket that’s situated on the ladder shelving. Use a lanyard to keep the bucket secure.
Use Eye Protection
Wearing some form of eye protection while cleaning the gutters can prevent eye injuries. While rare, your eyes can be injured by flying debris or animals that might be living in the gutters.
Move Ladder Regularly
When you’re tending to your gutters, move the ladder regularly. You shouldn’t try to overreach to get rid of the debris that’s built up. When you extend your arms to reach a distant spot in your gutter system, your body’s center of gravity will shift, which increases the risk of a fall. You can prevent injuries by only cleaning the space in your immediate vicinity before moving the ladder.
Avoid Power Lines
If you have power lines right outside your home, avoid cleaning your gutters if the power lines are loose or exposed. If you think a line is damaged, it’s best to have a professional fix it. Make sure the conditions are dry when you clean your gutters to avoid a hazardous situation. Even if the power lines appear to be in good condition, you should think about using a fiberglass ladder. Metal ladders shouldn’t be used near power lines.
Wear the Right Shoes and Gloves
Along with safety goggles, it’s also important to wear the right shoes and gloves for the job at hand. For this project, the best shoes are ones that have rubber soles. Even if you don’t think the area near your gutters is wet, the rubber soles will prevent you from slipping and falling while removing dirt, leaves, and twigs from your gutter system.
Your hands should also be protected during this process. While any pair of gloves can keep you from directly touching dirt, grime, and other substances, you should opt for thick work gloves. A pair of work gloves can protect your skin from animal waste and sharp debris.
The two materials that are most effective for cleaning the gutters include leather and suede. A thick pair of suede gloves offers ample flexibility and durability. While leather gloves are also durable, they aren’t as maneuverable as suede. Keep in mind that the gloves you wear will also protect you from any sharp edges along your gutters.
Maintain Several Points of Contact
You can reduce the risk of falling and getting injured by always maintaining several points of contact while on the ladder. When you use a ladder, you need to have three points of contact with your feet and hands, which can involve one foot and two hands or one hand and two feet. With three points of contact, it will be easier for you to maintain your balance and keep your body stabilized.
Hire a Professional
Gutter cleaning isn’t an easy project. You need to keep your balance on a ladder as you attempt to remove debris and obstructions from the gutter system. You can eliminate the risk of an accident by hiring a professional to do the job for you. By getting in touch with a reputable handyman company in Thousand Oaks, you can have your gutters safely cleaned in next to no time.
Your gutters need to be cleaned regularly to avoid clogs, water damage, and other costly issues. If you intend to do this work yourself, make sure you follow the safety measures in this guide. By wearing eye protection and gloves, moving the ladder often, and maintaining several points of contact, you should be safe. Call Teamwork Home Services today if you’d like to request our safe and reliable gutter cleaning services.
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