Ladders > The Art Of Gutter Cleaning

The Art Of Gutter Cleaning

Many homeowners clean their own gutters or hire someone each season to properly maintain their homes. What you may not realize is that most gutter systems should be cleaned 3-4 times a year with each season. You may be wondering why should I clean out my gutters so often? The reason is each season trees go through various cycles that can clog up your gutters. In spring, most trees drop seedlings and dead twigs. Spring is also the best time to inspect your gutters for any damages that may have occurred during the winter snow.

In summer, trees lose leaves from heavy storms and high winds. In early fall, you should remove leaves that have fallen early to keep your gutters flowing freely. At the end of fall or early winter, you want to make sure everything has been properly cleared from the gutter system to help prevent ice dams or buildup of ice in your gutters. The extra weight of frozen water in your gutters can easily cause them to pull away from the fascia and in many cases, fall off the house. Improper gutter maintenance will lead to clogged or damaged gutters and can cause thousands of dollars in damage to your homes foundation, exterior trim and basements.

To clean your gutters properly, rent a sturdy ladder and get your a neighbor to give you a hand. Ladders can be rented from most local rental centers for as little as $40.00 a day. When using ladders, make sure you stay away from power lines, trees and windows. It's a good idea to use a ladder stabilizer to make sure the ladder doesn't crush your gutters or slip while your doing the cleaning. Ladder stabilizers can be purchased at most hardware stores for about $30.00.

Remember your safety is more important than clean gutters, so make sure you get someone to help you. Thousands of people die each year from falls and electrocution while working on ladders. If you have gutter screens or gutter guards, make sure that they aren't damaged or clogged with leaves and branches. They won't help protect the gutters if the water can't get into them properly and the water may just flow over them making them useless, even if the gutters are clean! Carefully lift the guards to avoid damaging them and remove any leaves or debris under them and then reinstall them properly. You should run water over them to make sure they are working properly.

Check your downspouts to see if they have screens at the top and clear them as well. If necessary, use a hose to clear any heavily clogged downspouts and make sure you replace any damaged gutter or downspout screens. While cleaning your gutters, inspect them to make sure the fasteners are properly secured. This can usually be done with a hammer, or in some cases a screwdriver. You may find that over time, the spikes that hold the aluminum to the fascia board have loosened.

Either drive the loose spikes back into place, or replace them with longer ones for improved support. When gutters are loose, the pitch is changed and the water will overflow at low areas. Since you have help from your neighbor, this is also the perfect time to inspect your roof for missing shingles, cracked vent pipe gaskets or bare nails. Make sure you return the favor and help him or her on their house when you're done.If you have any questions about gutter maintenance, gutter guard systems or to hire a professional to clean the gutters on your home, contact Henry's Housework at 301-353-9287. For more information about gutter cleaning, guard systems or our other services, see our website at www.henryshousework.com.

We also offer a newsletter through our website with maintenance tips, reminders and discounts on our services each month.Henry BockmanPresident, Henry's Housework Inc.Online at www.Henryshousework.comEmail Henry@Henryshousework.comOffice 301 353-9287.

1989 Henry's Housework provides gutter cleaning, roof repairs, power washing and nuisance wildlife trapping services to over 10,000 commercial and residential clients in Montgomery County, Maryland. For more information on Henry's Housework visit their website at: http://www.henryshousework.com. henry@henryshousework.com

I Want a Cold!

"Honey, can I have a cup of lemon tea," my wife asked me the other day. Normally, my wife doesn't ask me to do anything, knowing my laziness has no bounds. But my wife had a cold - a very bad cold. For most illnesses, my wife would just "suck it up" and get her cute little behind out of bed, fully realizing that nothing would get done around the house without her. But today, she was lingering beneath the bed covers.

That's how I knew she was really sick.My wife is tougher than Randall "Tex" Cobb on his best day (and for those of you who don't know who Randall "Tex" Cobb is - shame on you!). Her finely developed sense of martyrdom compels her to force herself into activity, even in the face of the killer cold. Being the caring husband that I am (and not wanting her germs spread through the entire house), I suggested she stay in bed.So, even though it was a Sunday, which is a very inconvenient day for her to be sick (because I usually park my large, ugly behind on my favorite chair...

I Want a Cold!

Ladders > I Want a Cold!

Ladders

A ladder is a collective set of steps, linked vertically via two horizontal rods. These steps are called rungs and the rods supporting them are called stiles. A ladder is commonly used for climbing at home or at work. There are two types of ladders -- rigid or hard material ladders and rope ladders. Rigid ladders are generally portable, but are sometimes fixed permanently to buildings or structures.

Ladders come in variety of styles and heights. They can either be rented or purchased. Styles include stool, foldable and single length ladders. Each ladder has a defined weight that it can support and come in a choice of materials like aluminum, fiberglass, steel, wood and iron. Fiberglass ladders are the strongest and most durable.

Although a bit heavier than aluminum, they do not present any risk while doing electrical work.

Rigid ladders serve a lot of purposes. They are used for attics, pools, docks, libraries, shops, etc. They are available...

Ladders

Ladders > Ladders

Play time: Fun time, learning time, bonding time!

Copyright 2006 Living Your Best Life

I'm sure you've experience this parenting dilemma. The sun is shining and it's a beautiful, hot day. Your daughter or son is begging you to take him or her to the park but there is a pile of washing in the laundry basket, a stack of dishes in the sink and countless other chores. On the one hand you want to spend quality time with your child but on the other hand the housework has to be tackled. What is a parent to do after all play is just play or is it? In this article I will explain, that children learn through play, different types of play and their value, how play helps the development of a person from babies into adulthood and finally, how playing with your child is an opportunity for bonding, learning and fun.

What do children learn through play?

Why is play vital and why should it be encouraged? Children it is the main way that children learn, in fact for children play is work.

Play helps children...

Play time: Fun time, learning time, bonding time!

Ladders > Play time: Fun time, learning time, bonding time!

HOW D' YA LIKE THEM APPLES?

HOW DO YOU LIKE THEM APPLES? -- Or, things you might have said to Eve had she tricked you into eating the apple --Copyright by
2004. All rights reserved.There are a few things that you might be tempted to say, if you had the chance, (especially if you're a fly on a wall in the proverbial "Garden of Eden").Speaking of flies, here are some choice lines you wish Adam might have told Eve before chomping into that fateful apple on what appears to have been another perfectly twee day in paradise.-- I don't do "bobbing for apples"!-- Let's share the guilt.-- You know I hate "Little green apples in the summertime", so play something else!-- Before we get down to business -- when was your last dental check-up?-- Not now, I'm busy killing the bugs, worms, and Trojan Horses in my frigging PC.-- I can't imagine why you think I'd want to read your new diet book, "How to Be Happy on 500 Calories or Less a Day ? Lessons From A Tart With A Heart".-- If eating an apple a day keeps the doctor...

HOW D' YA LIKE THEM APPLES?

Ladders > HOW D' YA LIKE THEM APPLES?

Dock Ladders

Dock ladders are used on docks to transfer material or people from the boat to the dock. They consist of several straight, simple steps. A dock ladder needs to be permanently fixed to the docks that are wooden platforms, sea walls or stationary docks with floating water lines. Most of these dock ladders come with hoop handles to make climbing in and out as easy as possible. In case the dock space is limited, it is a better option to purchase a ladder without handles.

Dock ladders come in a variety of models.

Some of them are fixed and some removable. Removable types can be lifted out without use of many tools and stored safely for later use. This helps in avoiding unnecessary exposure to water. Dock ladders can generally take up to 200 lbs of weight. But some special ones come for industrial docks that can take up to 500 lbs.

Dock ladders have a range of 2 to 10 steps to accommodate varying dock heights. For safety, dock ladders are often found in a yellow...

Dock Ladders

Ladders > Dock Ladders

Boat Docks

If a person has waterfront property, "boat docks" are a great addition.
A boat dock, available in varying sizes and shapes, is a place to moor a boat and provides easy leisure access for swimming and fishing. There are aluminum docks, steel docks, floating docks and post docks. These classifications depend on materials and style that are used to build the docks. All are designed to offer the best that one could possibly expect in a wet and dry storage facility.

Many accessories, which make it fun and functional, can be seen alongside a dock. Among the accessories are benches, boarding ramps, bumpers, cleats, boat lifts, deep water braces, dock boxes, flagpole holders, handrails, swing and straight ladders, light brackets, shore end wheel kits and storage sheds.

There are a variety of choices in residential lake dock and commercial dock systems. The residential dock is built to fit the location and recreational needs of a customer. Private or...

Boat Docks

Ladders > Boat Docks

The Journey Home, Sydney Final Journal 4

(ContentDesk) September 21, 2005 -- This is it for the journals, so thanks for hanging in there. We leave tomorrow, Tuesday here, to start our journey home. Much to Dave's annoyance, I insist on stopping over for one night in LA, so we won't get back until Wednesday, U.S. time. By the way, stopping is the best in order to stand upright for 24 hours before the last leg.Our brother, Eddie Oppenheimer, from Mobile, blew into town right on schedule, on the 13th.

Considering that he came in from Hong Kong, he was in great shape. Before napping, he wanted to go to Balmoral beach and run! We never knew that Eddie had taken up running and we were very impressed. He looks great, quite amazing, actually. His room was at the bottom of the Japanese steps which had me worried for weeks. But, he learned to navigate them post haste, even schlepping down one suitcase (the rest were left on level one)! Through circumstance, we had quite a social whirl while Ed was here.