Gutter Cleaning – My Window Washing Blog

Summer Maintenance Check List

Reverse the direction of ceiling fans. Fans that spin counterclockwise push the air down, keeping the room cool. Conversely fans that spin clockwise distribute warm air. To change directions, turn the fan and wait until blades come to a full stop, find the switch and change the direction.

Clean fans. To ensure maximum benefit, completely clean your fans. This will also help reduce dust particles in the air and may improve air quality.

Inspect and install air-conditioners. Clean your air conditioner and replace the filter. It is also a good time to inspect it to ensure there are no issues.

Beautify your yard. Along with regular lawn care maintenance, tend to flowers, shrubbery and gardens. Remove any junk and debris.

Power wash siding or brick. This will help get rid of any dust, dirt, tree sap, bird droppings, etc., that leave your home looking less than its best.

Conduct a deck inspection. Check for any deck issues such as loose or rotting boards, mold, mildew, warping, etc. Also, pour a little water on your deck. If the water doesn’t bead up, then it’s time to reseal it.

Power wash your deck. Keeping your deck clean will help you maintain an enjoyable the space, while also extending its life. Moreover, regular deck cleanings help to prevent wood from graying, splitting and cracking.

Clean the bathroom fan vents, dryer vent and exhaust duct. Vents filled with dust and link present a house fire risk. Consequently, it’s important to regularly clean fan vents, the dryer vent and exhaust duct.

Do a general walk around inspection. Look for any issues with siding, roof, gutters, caulking around doors and windows, and so on. Also, check for any leaks in facets or hoses. Catching them early often can prevent more costly problems.

Check smoke detectors. To not overlook this important task. Test all home smoke detectors to ensure they work. Address any issues, including replacing batteries if needed. Finally, make sure every room has a smoke detector.

Clean out the gutters and downspouts. Gutters should be cleaned at least twice a year, perhaps more if your home is surrounded by trees. It’s also a lot easier to address any potential gutter related issues when the weather is good.

Pressure wash driveway and walkway pressure. Taking time to pressure wash your driveway and walkway is another way to keep your home in tip-top shape and looking great.

Wash windows and screens. Wash your windows inside and out to will help keep your home looking good. Also, clean windows will allow more energizing light into your living spaces, while providing a more enjoyable view.

My Window Washing offers professional and affordable window washing, gutter cleaning and power is washing services. Call 1.800.941.2790 to schedule your appointment

7 Top Reasons to Install Gutter Guards

7 Top Reasons to Install Gutter Guards

Gutter guards prevent debris, branches, pine needles, leaves and other debris from accumulating in gutters. They prevent unwanted and damaging gutter clogs and cracks. Gutter guards are especially beneficial for homes in a wooded area or near trees. Following are seven top reasons why savvy homeowners install gutter guards.

Save Time, Effort and Money
Installing gutter guards reduce time and effort spent on cleaning out your gutters. Also, it also significantly reduces the frequency of gutter cleanings. Moreover, if you hire professional gutter cleaners instead of doing the risky task it yourself, you may also save money.

Improve Safety
Cleaning gutters is a time-consuming and hazardous task with risks for persons and home structure. Installing gutter guards is a simple and effective way to reduce potential injuries and damage. That said, gutter guards also need to be cleaned. Experts recommend doing it at least every two years. It is often more efficient and safer to hire gutter professionals to clean your gutter guards.

Stop Blockage and Prevent Damage
Clogged gutters can cause extensive and expensive damage to your home, as well as to the gutters themselves. They can wreck-havoc to your foundation, walls, roof, property and wood timbers. Gutter guards stop clogs from forming tin the first place.

Better Water Flow
Without obstacles and clogs, water flows better through gutters and downspouts. This will help prevent the potentially damaging effects of heavy water or ice mixed with debris.

Avoid Gutter Infestations
Gutter guards stop creatures and insects from breeding and living in your gutters. This includes mosquitoes, wasps, spiders, mice, squirrels, birds, and bats.

Mitigate Premature Corrosion and Rush
Wet debris, leaves and twigs offer fertile conditions for the start and development of gutter rust or corrosion. Consequently, gutter guards will help extend the appearance and life of a home’s important gutter system.

Peace of Mind
A big benefit of gutter guards is simple peace of mind. You will not need to clean gutters every spring and fall or be concerned about the potentially clogging effects of the surrounding trees or severe weather. Instead, you can be confident that your gutters are well protected.

My Window Washing offers gutter guards installation services along with professional and affordable window washing, gutter cleaning and power is washing services. Call 1.800.941.2790 to schedule your appointment.

How to Prepare Your Home to Sell

Home for Sell

HOW TO PREPARE YOUR HOME TO SELL

When it comes to selling a home most people want to do it quickly and receive top dollar. More than luck, achieving these two objectives requires properly planning your home to sell. Most home buyers are able to be highly selective. This means even the smallest grievances can potentially killing a sell. Therefore, when it comes to selling it’s vital to do everything possible to present a pristine, inviting home with maximum appeal. The following thirteen suggestions, which are commonly recommended by real estate experts, will help you prepare your home to sell.

Maximize Curb Appeal
When it comes to home buyers, making a good first impression with curb appeal is important. Make sure the outside of your home’s exterior is clean with appealing landscape, freshly mowed lawn, clear walkways, and an inviting front door. Some home selling experts even recommend painting the home’s entry front door so it stands out.

Gutters and Pressure Wash
To maximize your home’s curb appeal, consider hiring someone to clean out your gutters and pressure wash your home’s siding, sidewalks, driveway, and/or deck. Not only will this significantly add to your home’s curb appeal, it also conveys a well-kept, managed home.

Wash Windows Inside and Out
Make sure your windows are sparklingly clean from the inside, out. Not only does this contribute to curb appeal and a clean home presentation, it also improve how natural light appears in rooms. Also, you will be confidently prepared to open up blinds and curtains when it’s time to show your home.

Declutter
Preparing your home to sell (quickly and for top dollar) requires removal of junk, garbage, bulky furniture and clutter. Many home sellers rent a storage unit for keeping items until they are ready to move or discard.

Deep Clean
From top to bottom, ceiling fans to floors, clean every nook and cranny inside your home. Also, make sure all services shine- floors, counters, fixtures, and so on. Given the importance of a deep cleaning if you do not have time or the desire to deep clean your home, consider hiring a reputable professional cleaning service.

Depersonalized
Ideally, perspective buyers will be able to easily envision living in your home. This ability is improved when a home is depersonalized. Depersonalized means taking down and storing items such as photograph, hobby collections, toys, trophies, fridge magnets, bathroom counter items, and so on.

Fix and Repair
The goal is to present your home in the best possible condition, for maximum buyer interest and sale price. Whenever possible fix problems and repair issues. Some top priority tasks might include repairing a leaky roof, replacing a broken window, paint over scuff marks and so on.

Tidy Up Closets
Home buyers appreciate and want enough storage space which is why it’s a big selling point. Neat, well-organized, spacious will show that your home offers enough space. Conversely, if your closets are jammed packed, they will convey the opposite- your closets will seem too small.

Repaint Walls
A simple fresh coat of paint can uplift and brighten a room. When it comes to selling a home it is best to stick with neutral colors (tans and white tones). These colors appeal to more buyers; they also support room focus without being distracted by the wall’s color.

Remove Unpleasant Odors
Regularly inspect your home for any unpleasant smells and neutralize the air. If you own cats, hide the litter box and make sure there are no pet smells lingering. Some savvy homeowners will strategically place natural inviting smells in rooms prior to a showing- such as fresh flowers or freshly baked cookies. Tip: Avoid using scented air fresheners which may cause an allergic or unpleasant reaction from guests.

Light, Light, Light
Buyers want to see, really see, the home. Consequently, experts recommend opening up all blinds and curtain, while having all lights turned on. Also, add lamps/lighting to any dim areas. Brightly lit spaces look cheerier, larger and are more inviting.

Stage Your Spaces
Do not assume the prospective buyer is going to know how to use a particular room. Instead, strategically stage rooms according to how they might be used. For example, make sure the office, looks and feels like an office. Add neutral décor, art, plants and future that will bring out the best in your home, while appealing to maximum buyers. Some owners hire professional home stagers.

Take Great Pictures
Most people will see your home via photos before they see it in person. Those photos will either attract or repel interest. Consequently, it’s very important to take clear, bright, professional looking photos that presents your home in the very best light.

MY WINDOW WASHING
My Window Washing offers professional and affordable window washing, gutter cleaning and power washing services. Call 1.800.941.2790 to schedule your appointment.

Cleaning and Inspecting Home Gutters

Gutters 3
Cleaning and Inspecting Home Gutters

Spring is the perfect time for home gutter maintenance. Your gutters play an essential role in protecting your home from short and long-term damage. Properly maintained gutters efficiently keep water away from your home. It’s important to keep gutters and downspouts clean otherwise clogs may lead to water backup which can damage to the roof, siding, basement, walls, fascia and soffits.

Experts recommend having your gutters professionally cleaned and inspected at least twice a year (usually in the spring and fall). This will extend the life of your gutter system, allow you to catch issues early and ensure things are properly cleaned. If you decide to clean your own gutters, make sure to follow professional instructions and take appropriate safety measures. Also, while cleaning out your gutters and downspouts, make sure to conduct a careful inspection. The following seven signs may indicate that it’s time to replace your utter system.

1. Gutter Cracks or Splits
Initially, small cracks in your gutter may not seem to be an issue. However, they can turn into big ones sooner than you may anticipate. These seemingly harmless spits allow the water to further damage your gutters, along with the fascia boards behind the gutters, your foundation and home’s shingles.

2. Peeling Paint and/or Orange Flecks
The paint on your gutters is intended to weather basic wear and tear. Peeling paint or orange flecks indicates the beginning stages of rust. This means water is present on a continuous basis and that it’s not properly draining.

3. Water or Mildew Around Foundation
Gutters are designed to keep water flowing away from your home’s foundation. If you notice pools of water or mildew near the foundation, this is an indication that your gutters aren’t performing as intended. This could be caused by something as simple as a clog or by something as complex as a gutter system defect. Water can easily damage the foundation, leading to time-consuming and costly repairs.

4. Water Damage or Water Marks
Carefully look for any water damage or marks underneath the gutter. This indicates that water is escaping and that your gutters aren’t properly performing.

5. Gutters Sag or Beginning to Pull Away
Your gutters should never sag or pull away from your home. If they are sagging or starting to pull away from your home, it’s a clear sign that it’s time to replace your gutters. Most people can spot the issue without needing to climb a ladder. If they do, it is because the gutters are dealing with the weight of water, which indicates the system is not draining properly or there is a blockage.

6. Several Broken Fasteners
Fasteners are the pieces of metal that hold your gutter to your roof and keep it level. If you notice frequent broken fasteners, the gutters themselves may be the issue.

7. Separated Gutters.
Gutter systems only function if they are fastened together in a continuous channel. If they begin separating from one another frequently, it may be time for a gutter replacement. Also make sure to check the downspouts for any connection issues.

Serving Chicagoland and surrounding suburbs, My Window Washing offers professional and affordable gutter cleaning and gutter guard installation services. Call 1.800.941.2790 for more information or to schedule an appointment.