Posted by Todd Ellebruch on Thu, Sep 17, 2009 @ 03:03 PM
Whether football season, back-to-school season, Halloween, or securing the home for winter - all our favorite themes fall during this time of year. One of the more necessary early home winterizing projects, is cleaning those gutters before the real first snowfall. In fact, it's best to ensure your gutters are cleaned twice a year, once in the spring and in the late fall.
When inspecting your gutters, remember to think of safety first. You would rather not start the season with a broken limb due to neglect. If using a step or extension ladder, make sure its footing is secure and on level ground. Keep any tools, bags, or other equipment close and easily accessible. And before you even make the climb, let someone know you will be up there - just in case.
Wear work gloves, which are relatively thick and will prevent any sharp objects from puncturing through. Safety glasses might also be a good idea, and avoid power lines or other cables leading to the building. If you need to clean off the roof first, wear rubber-soled shoes or shoes with grip spikes, for better stability.
Using a garden trowel, hand spade, or gutter scoop, start near the downspout and clean out the debris. If the debris is hard to remove, don't be a afraid to reach in with your hands and pull it out. Once clear, use your garden hose to rinse out the gutter in the direction of the downspout until clear. If the downspout is clogged you can either use the garden hose at a high velocity to clear it, or grab a plumber's snake. Whichever you choose, make sure it's safe and the spout is free of the clog.
Thoroughly inspect ever portion of the gutter system looking for cracks, dents, holes, or other damage. Get these repaired as soon as possible. Leaving gutters and downspouts unrepaired and not cleared, could lead to bigger issues such as wood rot and water damage.
Posted by Lyndsey Walker on Mon, Oct 13, 2008 @ 10:15 AM
With the colder months approaching, many of us will spend the majority of our time indoors. But, the indoor air we breathe is often more polluted than the air outdoors.
So when opening windows for fresh air is not an option, air duct cleaning can be an important home-winterizing approach to keep clean air circulating during these next couple of months.
Though no study has proven contaminated air ducts cause health problems, air ducts filled with dust, pollen, animal dander and microbes can circulate these harmful spores throughout your home or office, contributing to allergies or illness.
What’s more, air duct cleaning has been shown by
NADCA (National Air Duct Cleaning Association) to improve efficiency and, therefore, heating savings, by 10-30 percent. Dirt — the No. 1 cause for failing heating systems — not only absorbs heat, but also restricts airflow.
To determine whether or not your air ducts need cleaning, check out the
Environmental Protection Agency’s (EPA) checklist.
Once you’ve detected a contaminated system — you’ve inspected your air duct for visible spores, mold and dust — what should you look for in an air duct cleaning company?
• First, be sure to evaluate their process. Proper cleaning services should include cleaning of all registers, the interior of the ducting, the furnace fan and the interior of the heating and ventilating system. It is extremely important that all components are properly cleaned or else the entire system can be exposed to recontamination.
• Then, be sure the company uses a high-efficiency filtration system, such as HEPA, to protect your carpet and furniture from the extracted contaminants.
• Lastly, to be sure your air duct received proper cleaning, review the EPA’s
Post Cleaning Consumer Checklist.
Lyndsey Walker is a PR 20/20 Internet Marketing Consultant and content developer for Carrara Companies.