How To Prepare Your Gutters For The Rainy Season

Denver April showers bring May flowers, but they can also bring damage to your house if you don’t get your gutters ready for the rainy season.  Nothing can put a damper on spring and summer like dealing with a flooded basement.  Here is a list of things to do to prepare your gutters for spring and summer storms.  

Clean Out Your Gutters
Gutters help redirect stormwater away from the foundation of your home.  But, if they are clogged with leaves and sticks, they cannot function properly.  You can clean your gutters by spraying them with a hose from the bottom up. Or, you can use a ladder to climb up and inspect your gutters for debris.  Wear a pair of gloves and manually scoop up anything that is clogging your gutters, place it in a trash bag, and throw it away.  
 
Inspect Your Downspouts
Be sure to inspect the downspouts of your house.  If your downspouts become clogged, they will prevent water from passing through, which can cause your gutters to sag or mildew.  When gutter sag or mildew, they cannot function properly.  Also look at the rivets on your downspouts, if they need to be tightened attend to that as well.  
 
Check For Leaks
Before the rainy season starts, check your home for leaks.  If you notice any cracks in your gutters, get them replaced. Cracked gutters will not redirect stormwater away from your home and will instead cause leaks.  If not fixed as soon as possible, the leaks can lead to flooding or mold in the basement.  Also, inspect your ceilings for watermarks, this could be the sign of a leaky roof.  If your roof has any cracks or loose shingles, get those repaired as well. 
 
Seal Up Your Doors and Windows
Water can enter the home through doors and windows too.  Check to see that they open and shut properly.  Then, make sure they are sealed completely.  You may not have to worry about newer, energy efficient windows, but the older ones need to be looked at.   When you make sure your windows and doors are sealed, this will protect your home from the weather.  
 
Have a Basement Inspection
Be aware that even a tiny amount of water to your basement floor can cause serious electrical damage, not to mention the appearance of mold or mildew.  As a precaution, consider having your basement checked out by a professional before the rainy season starts.  A professional can get your basement ready for the rain, so you won’t have to deal with more expensive repairs later on. 
 
Get Your House Flood Ready
You can also prepare the inside of your home for storm season.  Place your electronics high off the floor and away from windows.  You can mount your television on the wall, and store laptops on high up shelves.  That way, if some water does make its way in, your devices are safe.   Make sure you know where your mops are for a fast clean up.  Also, you can invest in a water vacuum if major flooding occurs.  

Some or all of the above ideas to prepare you gutters may be too difficult if you don't like be up on a ladder.  Colorado Seamless Gutters is a full service gutter company in Denver.  This is what we do.  We can help you with the gutter cleaning service and get them up to standard and prepared for all the rain.  Give us a call today for assistance.

Call Today - (303)447-1555