My Window Washing Blog - window washing, gutter cleaning, power washing services in Chicago and suburbs

Fall Gutter Cleaning Guide: Why It’s Important and How To Do It

Gutter cleaning is an unsung hero that’s crucial to keeping your property in good condition all year long. Rain gutters help protect your house from serious water damage, but if they’re not cleared out and leaves build up in the fall, they’re more likely to damage your home than preserve it. You may even have to deal with serious maintenance issues come spring if you don’t perform an autumn gutter cleaning.

Still not convinced you to need fall gutter cleaning services this year? Here’s everything you should know about gutter cleaning, including more on why it’s so important and how to get the job done.

How Your Gutters Work and Why They Matter

Gutters are the guards that keep your home from rain and water damage. They’re designed to transport rainwater from your roof and drain the water to the ground through a spout. Then, the water is directed away from the property, and onto the lawn, so it doesn’t pool near the basement and foundation. Without gutters, water would pool on your roof and lead to mold, rot, and deterioration of your roof shingles, fascia, walls, etc.

When you choose to bring in a gutter cleaner for annual fall cleanup, you’re investing in the longevity of your property and minimizing the risk of extensive damage in a few years.

How To Tell If Your Gutters Are In Shape

If your gutters are clogged with debris, you may notice leaves and sticks poking out of them. You also can check to see if there is a lack of water drainage from the downspout.

However, the fastest and most efficient way to tell if your gutters are in good shape is by calling in the pros. Gutter cleaning companies will assess whether there has been damaged due to clogging and inform you if you need gutter cleaning services right away.

How To Keep Your Gutters Well Maintained

Want to prevent leaks in your home is to keep your gutters well maintained? You can hop on a ladder and clean out any debris that has built up over time. Ideally, it would be best if you cleaned your gutters twice a year in early fall and early spring to prepare for the seasons to come. However, the autumn clean is the most important. Autumn gutter cleaning clears out the pipes right in time for winter and prevents water from freezing inside.

If you have trees around, it is good to keep them trimmed to prevent excess droppings of leaves, sticks, etc. Keep in mind that even if your trees are trim, wind can still carry unwanted gunk into your drains.

Another step you can take towards having your gutter cleaner than last year is regular roof repairs. If you have a loose shingle, it can end up right in your gutter and block the pathway for water to travel downward. Inspect your roof to see if your shingles are cracking or curling.

How Much Does Gutter Cleaning Cost?

If climbing up onto your roof to remove a bunch of debris, leaves, and sticks isn’t your thing, or if it has been a while since your drains have been cleaned, you can always call for professional gutter cleaning services to get the job done right.

Professional gutter cleaning costs between $80-$150 for a single-story 1,500 square-foot house. However, if you regularly use a gutter cleaner, it can save you thousands in damage repairs. According to Home Advisor, the average homeowner can spend up to $5,121 to restore or repair water damage. An autumn cleaning service isn’t even a fraction of the cost to repair extensive damage down the road.

Conclusion

Disregarding gutter maintenance can lead to more bills to repair your homes’ water damage and even long-lasting health problems from mold and mildew. If you are confident in your ability to clean the gutters yourself, you can always climb up onto a ladder before the first snowfall. However, we think reaching out to professional gutter cleaning companies is the way to go. You’ll save time spent clearing out these spaces on a fall day when you could be relaxing, and you’ll guarantee a job well done.

Why Hire A Power Washing Service?

Your home is more than just a roof over your head — it is also a place where you and your family create lasting memories. Plus, it’s one of the most significant investments you’ll make in your lifetime.

To keep your safe-haven, well, safe, it requires extensive care. Every day all year round, your home battles various weather elements, dirt, grime, mildew, insects, and other various debris.

Although you may just want to do your home’s exterior cleaning yourself with a run-of-the-mill garden hose, a professional house power washing company is the best way to safely and effectively power wash your home. Read on to learn about the benefits.

Protects Your Family’s Health

Your home’s exterior is there to protect you from all the harsh elements of the natural world, but it doesn’t mean it’s immune to damage external debris can cause. Mold, mildew, and other allergens can accumulate from microbes and grow on your wood and siding, putting both your home’s exterior and your family’s health in jeopardy.

For instance, inhaling mold spores can result in asthma-like symptoms. Hiring professional power washing services at least once a year will prevent the build-up of these harmful parasites from becoming a problem and lead to a healthier, cleaner home.

Increases Your Property Value

When you hire professional house power washing, you can actually increase the property of your home. According to the National Association of Realtors, a house with recent power washing can add up to $15,000 to the sale price. Plus, you’ll impress your guests and anyone who happens to drive by!

Also, if you plan on doing a home renovation like a roof replacement or re-painting, a thorough exterior cleaning can prepare the surfaces for the job. This way, you don’t have to paint over dirt and grime that will only lead to cracking and chipping over time.

Save Yourself Money in the Long Run

Sure, you have to pay for professional power washing services. But we can assure you that the investment will pay for itself.

Keeping your home in good condition will help you prolong the life of your shingles, siding, and everything in between. If you are diligent about doing annual household power washing, you will save yourself (and your wallet) from having to replace parts of your home prematurely.

Hire Power Washing Services

Having your house professionally power washed is one of the most cost-effective ways to conserve the value of your home and improve its appearance. It is also a great way to keep harmful natural elements from building up on the exterior of your home, causing you to deal with the stresses of unnecessary repairs. Not to mention that if you invest in exterior cleaning, you are also investing in your family’s health and safety.

Given all these benefits listed, hiring a professional power washing service is a no-brainer to keep your home in tip-top shape! For best results call, – My Window Washing, – your local power washing company.

7 Questions to Ask Before Hiring Professional Window Cleaners

Are you looking to hire a window cleaning service?

We all want our homes to look their best and having sparkling windows is an important part of that. But window cleaning isn’t always the easiest task. If you don’t have the time or skills, it’s often better to call in someone to do it for you. It can be tough to know how to hire the right people for the job though.

Don’t worry, we’re here to help! Read on for these 7 questions to ask when hiring professional window cleaners.

Adding Curb Appeal: The Ultimate Exterior Home Cleaning Checklist

If you’re like most homeowners, each year you compile a spring cleaning list near the end of winter. However, one area that’s often neglected is the outside of our homes. If you’re looking to boost your curb appeal, you can’t let anything slip through the cracks. This year, make sure you take care of the exterior of your home and your property as well as everything inside your house.

Not sure where to begin? We’re here to help. Keep reading for a quick exterior home cleaning checklist.

7 Must-Have Services in a Window Cleaning Company

Like many local businesses or franchises, few window cleaning companies can dedicate themselves to a single service: cleaning windows. This is particularly true in smaller communities and suburbs.

While there probably will always be a demand for window-cleaning services in large cities, where some buildings have thousands of windows. Cleaning the windows of tall structures like skyscrapers calls for special hoists and workers who love heights.

There is still a fair amount of window-cleaning demand among homeowners in neighborhoods with one and two-story homes, though. Not everyone likes to DIY. But many window-cleaners have chosen to expand their array of services.

Let’s find out why—and what some of those services are.

This Is How to Prevent Clogged Gutters

When water pools over your gutters, it can gather around the foundation of your home. As the water sits there, it begins to eat away at the material and makes the walls weaker.

Clogs can also cause broken gutters and damage your ceiling. As you can imagine, this can lead to expensive home repairs. All it takes to avoid these repairs is by preventing clogged gutters.

You’ve got to keep them clean or at least install guards that can keep unwanted debris out. Of course, these aren’t the only ways to prevent clogs. Keep reading for a list of methods that you should try.

How Often Should You Power Wash Your Home?: A Definitive Guide

Is your house starting to look grimy and dirty? Does its facade or siding look faded or mottled? If so, then you need to use a power washing service to add some shine to the exterior of your home.

If you are thinking of using a power washing service, but are wondering how often should you power wash your house, then have no fear. Below, we have compiled a complete guide with everything you must know about power washing services.

This Is How to Pressure Wash a Deck the Right Way

Many people think pressure washing a deck is straightforward. You simply attach the pressure washer to a water supply, fill up the soap container, and blast away. However, pressure washing can go very wrong if you don’t know what you’re doing.

If you aim too close to the wood, you can cause permanent damage. If you don’t get close enough, you won’t remove the grime and will have to do it all over again. The task takes a certain level of knowledge and finesse.

Here, you can learn how to pressure wash a deck the right way, so you can keep your deck looking pristine for longer.

How Often Should You Clean Windows? A Homeowner’s Guide

Windows are an ancient technology, but glass windows didn’t become common in homes until the 17th century in England.

Before this, things like paper and flattened animal horns were used to cover openings in the walls.

Windows have sure come a long way since then! Even though windows are much more practical and effective these days, that doesn’t mean you don’t have to take good care of them to let them do their job well.

An important part of window maintenance is regular cleanings. How often should you clean windows, though? Let’s take a look.

Fall Cleaning Tips: How to Clean Your Gutter Right

The Chicago area receives 35.82 inches of rainfall a year. That’s less than Seattle at 37.19 but Seattle’s rain is mostly gentle and over a long period. According to the Chicago Tribune, Chicago’s rain is so intense that it is more likely to cause floods.

When the rain falls, do you have blockages in your rain gutter? They may need cleaning? Read on for spring cleaning tips for getting your gutters clean.