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Gutters do a big job—they protect your home from water damage and flooding. So this fall when you are getting everything winterized, don’t forget your gutters. To do their job, gutters and downspouts must be free of leaves and debris. If they aren’t, drain outlets will dam up and rainwater will fill the gutters, back up, overflow and eventually pull gutters loose from their mountings. The water that pools in troughs will rot wood gutters and rust sheet metal ones. Cleaning gutters is an easy way to save money and preserve your home’s value at the same time.
Gutters should be cleaned at least twice a year. If you have trees overhanging your roof, plan on cleaning them more often. But unless you’re sure of yourself on a ladder or can work safely from your home’s roof, consider paying a professional to do the work.
If you decide to clean the gutters yourself, make sure you have a sturdy ladder and place it on a level, solid base. Stepladders often work better than extension ladders. Follow all the safety directions for using a ladder and never stand on the top rungs. Working directly from the roof also is an option if your home’s roof isn’t too steeply pitched. Cleaning gutters is one job you want to do when the weather is dry and there is no wind. Even a slight breeze can cause problems when you’re working higher up. Wear shoes with non-slip soles and be sure to check the location of any nearby utility or telephone lines. Use work gloves to protect your hands from sharp metal parts or screws in the gutters, and be sure to wear safety glasses or goggles.
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Located in the extreme northeast corner of the United States, Maine consists largely of a coastal plain of eroded valleys, with more resistant rock forming the generally mountainous west (the Longfellow Mts., an extension of the White Mts. and part of the great Appalachian system), Mt. Desert and other islands in the east, and isolated peaks including Katahdin (5,268 ft/1,606 m), the highest point in the state. Receding glaciers deposited long drift ridges across the countryside and dammed the valleys to form more than 2,200 lakes (Moosehead Lake is the largest) and to establish new, rugged watercourses for more than 5,000 streams and rivers. The major rivers are the St. John (which, with the St. Croix, forms part of the international boundary with New Brunswick), the Penobscot, the Kennebec, the Androscoggin, and the Saco.
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