home maintenance Archives

10 Wintertime Tips for Your Home

December 11, 2021December 11, 2021Gutter King WichitaLeave a Comment

home maintenance Winter Preparedness Checklist for Home 10 wintertime tips

Winter Preparedness Checklist for Home – Your home needs several types of maintenance at different times of the year. You can perform some tasks monthly, quarterly, or yearly, and just once each season. January or February is an excellent time of the year to check off the items listed below. Here are ten wintertime tips we hope you find helpful to preserve your home for the cold months ahead.

1. Check the Fireplace

Chimney gutter cleaning wichita gutter king wichita

For example, check for cracks on the chimney structure, as well as loose bricks or missing mortar. A wire-mesh cap should cover the top of the chimney to keep out critters, leaves, and rain. Also, check for creosote build-up in your chimney. Call a professional chimney cleaner if you’re not sure when or how to clean your chimney.

2. Drain Sediment From Your Water Heater – Winter Preparedness Checklist for Home

We do not know many people who do this; however, it most certainly can extend the life of your water heater by years. Sediment will collect at the bottom of a tank and create hot spots, which can cause the tank to leak. If you have an electric-powered tank, sediment can cause failure in the lower heating element. Therefore, experts recommend draining water heaters at least once each year.

10 Wintertime Tips

3. Clean Up & Donate to Charity

Winter months are a great time to go through your house and collect things that you or your family no longer use. So, put on your favorite music and place a plastic tub in each room.

4. Prevent Outside Water Faucets from Freezing

Oh, the joy of going into your relaxing, cozy den only to discover wet carpet, soggy sheetrock, and water is dripping down the wall. We’re not pointing fingers here, but you should remove garden hoses from all faucets, including frost-free. The reason is that the water may not drain down properly away from the tap, and instead, it will expand in the fixture and pipe. And finally, when that happens, you can expect a water leak, costly repairs to the interior, and costly plumber services.

5. Prepare for Winter Storms

home maintenance ice storm wichita kansas

Unfortunately, there can be heavy ice or strong winds with winter storms, which cause power outages. Therefore, you should have plenty of bottled water, non-perishables, first-aid supplies, toiletry items, a phone charger for your car, and flashlights. Check out the CDC’s recommendations for cold weather preparedness.

6. Stop Ice Dams From Forming – Winter Preparedness Checklist for Home

Some homes are more likely to form ice dams than others. Ice dams are continuous chunks of ice that form along the edges of your roof. They’re no big deal when they’re frozen. But when outside temps warm up, water melting off the top will flow downward and pool behind the ice. This situation is when water will seep under the shingles. Eventually, the water will drip through and into the soffits, walls, and even onto your ceilings.

10 wintertime tips

7. Reverse Ceiling Fans

Winter = Clockwise, Slowest Speed

Summer = Counter Clockwise

It’s that easy! In the summer, you want the air pushing straight down on you to help cool. In the winter, you want a gentle updraft to push warm air, which naturally rises to the ceiling, down along the walls, and the floor.

10 wintertime tips

8. Protect Patio Furniture

You can extend the life of your patio furniture by taking a few winterizing steps. For example, you can apply a specialty oil finish on wood patio furniture and you can give aluminum powder-coated furniture a coat of automotive wax. After applying these protective coatings, dry thoroughly, then cover with a tarp.

9. Purchase Salt or Sand

ice removal sidewalk home maintenance wichita ks

Provide traction for family, friends, neighbors, and those delivering your packages, by stocking up on sand or ice melt. For those with north-side exposure, you may have sidewalk surfaces or driveways in shade. These areas are particularly susceptible to ice or black ice. In the photo, you can see the condensation is on only part of the sidewalk–the section which is closest to the house and the entryway. The reason for this is that the air warmed up quickly today, from 21°F to 52°F. The sidewalk in the sun is warmer than the sidewalk in the shade, therefore we have condensation. Furthermore, ice will form again on this sidewalk in a few hours, when the temperature drops below 32°F.

10. Clean Your Gutters

gutter cleaning wichita clogged home maintenance Winter Preparedness Checklist for Home 10 wintertime tips

Clogged gutters in the winter are a particularly bad situation in this area because of the rainy season just around the corner. Your gutters must be free from leaf muck, sticks, pine cones, and leaves, in order to move water away from your home. If you haven’t already, call Gutter King Wichita to clean your gutters.

Why Gutter Maintenance is Important

September 12, 2020September 12, 2020Gutter King WichitaLeave a Comment

Gutter maintenance is important for many reasons. Gutter neglect over a long period of time is expensive. Your home’s foundation and structure is affected by clogged or neglected gutter systems. Learn more with the information below.

Repair Any Damage

Regular gutter maintenance will ensure repair on damaged gutters. Additionally, damaged gutters add weight to your gutter systems and will eventually destroy fascia boards. Rain gutter systems will support so much weight before they fail, whether they fail by leaning or becoming detached!

gutter maintenance is important clogged gutter

Get Ready for Winter!

As we move into winter, gutter maintenance is more important than ever. You’ll want to be sure that your gutters are in good repair and clean. The frigid winter months can bring winds, precipitation, and extra debris into your gutter system. Keeping your gutters in good condition while we go December, January and February will give you the confidence that they will not become weighed down by additional fall debris remaining in your gutters.

Clogged Gutters Will Damage Your Home

When it comes to home maintenance and repairs, there are few things worse than clogged gutters. Why? The costs of repairing damage from clogged gutters far outweigh the cost of merely maintaining them well. At Gutter King Wichita, we care about the health of your home. Give us a call at 316-680-6708 to schedule a fast, affordable quote.

Maintain Gutters and Clear Away Summer Storm Debris

Now is the time to have your gutters cleaned, if you haven’t yet cleared away summer storm debris. Gutter maintenance is more important than ever, and you want clean gutters before leaves begin to fall. That summer storm debris is heavy, clogs drains and will contribute to rain gutter damage.

Protect Your Home’s Foundation with Regular Gutter Maintenance

The purpose of a gutter system is to lead stormwater away from your foundation. Foundation damage happens when water pools near the foundation of your home. The best thing to prevent foundation damage is to keep your gutters clean. Besides, a clogged underground yard drain system will lead to flooding your yard, which also leads to pooling water at your foundation. Gutter King Wichita is your Gutter Maintenance expert in Wichita and the surrounding areas.

Taming the Leaves to Maintain Gutters

Your gutters are only functional when water can flow through them. This is why gutter maintenance is important. Keeping the leaves at bay is an essential objective in fall gutter cleaning. Wet leaves can weigh down your gutters and potentially damage the fascia on the side of your home. Fascia repairs are expensive and preventable. An obstructed flow can cause issues like water pooling around the base of your home.

Gutter maintenance is important for many reasons. Gutter neglect over a long period of time is expensive. Your home’s foundation and structure are affected by clogged or neglected gutter systems. Call us at 316-680-6708 to schedule a fast, affordable quote on gutter cleaning, gutter repair, gutter guards, or new seamless gutters.

3 Ways to Prepare for Spring Rains

March 15, 2019February 21, 2020Gutter King WichitaLeave a Comment

Spring is almost here! And spring is the time for heavy and saturating rainfall. Of course, flooding is a serious threat to some areas this time of the year; however, it is the combination of heavy rains and pounding winds that can really mess up a home. Read on for 3 ways to prepare for spring rains and protect your home.

1. Ensure Good Drainage

The number one way to keep water away from your home’s foundation and to protect your home from spring rains is to ensure correct drainage.

Positive Grade

Make sure the ground around your home is graded away from the foundation. The soil should slope at least six inches within 10 feet of the foundation. If this is not the case, you need to add a dense soil to the area, to fix the grading and prevent water damage to the foundation.

Install a French Drain

Another option is to install a French drain. Dig a trench around the foundation, line it with gravel, and place a drain with perforations in it to pull the water away. Cover the drain with gravel and add soil over it. Be sure the trench has a 3-5% down slope, so that rain water drains away from the foundation. This is a great way to protect your home from spring rains that bring heavy rainfall.

2. Check Your Basement & Foundation

Be sure there are no cracks.

Look for cracks or deteriorating mortar joints in the walls of your home, especially the foundation walls. If you find any, seal the small cracks with a caulk which is specifically designed for masonry repairs. Fill larger gaps with a hydraulic cement.

Inspect your sump pump.

Another way to protect your home from spring rains is a sump pump. Most homes need a good quality sump pump in the basement floor, to prevent water damage to the home’s foundation. Be sure your sump pump has power to it and test it regularly to make sure it actually pumps water out.

Do not let the soil around your home dry out completely.

When the weather is particularly dry, the soil around your foundation may dry out and shrink. When this happens, you will see a gap between the soil and the foundation. Then when we have a big rain, the rain water will expand and put a lot of pressure on your foundation walls. So monitor the soil at your foundation level, especially during a drought. Keep ground cover near the foundation, but below siding levels. And keep the ground just moist enough to prevent shrinking.

3. Keep Gutters and Downspouts Clean and in Good Repair

Dirty gutters protect your home from spring rains — Dirty gutters

Keep the gutters free from leaves and debris.

You need rain water to run freely through your gutter systems. If they’re blocked or damaged, heavy rain sends water down the sides of your house and into the ground close to your foundation.

Check all gutter seams.

Your gutter systems should not leak at the seams or mitered corners. If you see water dripping along your gutters, call us for a free gutter inspection. If you hire us to clean your gutters, we include sealing and tightening your gutters as part of your cleaning service.

Be sure gutters are secure.

rotten fascia board and falling gutters — The fascia board is rotted and the gutters are falling away from the house

Make sure the gutters themselves are properly attached to your home. If loose, not only will the pitch be incorrect and rain water will not flow to your downspouts, but your gutters may easily tear away from your home in high winds.

Downspouts should lead rain water at least six feet from your home.

You may need to extend the downspouts to be sure they do not discharge water right at your foundation. You can use downspout extensions, recessed downspout extensions, or buried extensions.

In conclusion, water damage to a home is easily prevented with a few simple steps. And spring is a time of heavy and saturating rainfall. Call Gutter King Wichita if you need assistance at your home to prepare for spring rains and prevent costly water damage.

3 Signs That It’s Time to Clean Your Dryer Vent

March 11, 2019February 21, 2020Gutter King WichitaLeave a Comment

Dirty dryer vents are gross. But, more importantly, they’re a serious fire hazard. Dryer vents should be inspected at least once yearly. Read on for information on how to recognize when it’s time to clean your dryer vent.

It's Time to Clean Your Dryer Vent — Clothes dryer vent tube

According to FEMA, 2,900 home clothes dryer fires are reported each year. And fires caused by clothes dryers cause an estimated five deaths, 100 injuries, and $35 million in property loss.

Signs that it’s time to clean your clothes dryer vent:

First, the Outside of your Dryer is Very Hot

This is a warning sign that the vent does not exhaust properly. In fact, if your dryer is hot to the touch, the system may be clogged and blocking airflow. This not only wastes energy, it causes premature wear on the heat element and blower.

Second, Drying Time Takes Longer than Usual

When a dryer vent is clogged, the drying cycle time doubles or triples. For that reason, clothes are not completely dry at the end of a regular cycle. A dryer is designed to push out hot, moist air. And if your dryer vent is blocked, the air stays in your dryer and keeps your clothes moist. Hence, when your dryer runs longer, you cut your machine’s useful life in half.

Third, You Notice a Burning Odor

When you run your dryer, you should not notice a burning odor. Accordingly, lint is flammable and if it gets too hot, it will catch on fire. The lint not only builds up in the exhaust tube, and lint trap, it can build up in the drum casing. If you smell this, stop using the dryer immediately and call for a service or inspection.

Clean Your Dryer Vent clothes dryer fire

In conclusion, clogged dryer vents are one of the top causes of dryer fires. And, although this is a much less dramatic concern, an inefficient dryer can also cost you both time and money, tacking on as much as $20 a month to your utility bill. Dryer vents should be inspected at least once yearly.

Benefits of a Clean Dryer Vent System

A clean dryer vent reduces your chances of a dryer fire
It lowers your power bill, because the cycles are much more efficient
It increases the lifespan of your dryer

Bob Vila has a great article on how to clean your dryer vents.

Contact Gutter King Wichita for local resources on dryer duct cleaning.

Home Maintenance Practices That Hurt More Than Help

March 8, 2019February 21, 2020Gutter King WichitaLeave a Comment

home maintenance gutter cleaning wichita

Home Maintenance is important; however, there are home maintenance practices that hurt more than help. Read on to discover more.

OVER-TIGHTENING YOUR HOME

Your house needs to breathe. When you caulk around window and door framing, you certainly protect your home from heat/cooling loss. However, there are important openings that you shouldn’t seal. For example, all factory-built storm windows have small weep holes in the lower part of the frame. These permit moisture to drain. Don’t seal these small weep holes or moisture can collect in the window. Check out Bob Vila’s article on storm window weep holes for more information.

Sealing every gap can decrease overall air quality

Sealing every gap can prevent critical ventilation, it can increase allergens, and it can decrease overall air quality. Home maintenance is important; however, it’s important to perform maintenance correctly.

TOO MUCH LANDSCAPING

Overgrown landscaping will cover windows and grow up into the eaves of the house

Trees and shrub plantings are great; however there are considerations to take when maintaining or planting. For example, overly dense plantings can create big issues. Trees should have their canopy maintained and kept at a height which permits airflow beneath. Also, dead branches can hinder the growth of healthy branches.

If your trees are planted so close together that light and airflow is blocked, health and cosmetic issues will be present. For example, decking, walkways, and outdoor carpeting will host microbial growth.

Trees, shrubs, and ground cover need constant care. Overgrown landscaping will cover windows and grow up into the eaves of the house. This overgrowth can cause extensive damage to your roof and more.

Here is a great article on landscaping from Farm Bureau Financial Services.

EXTENSIVE POWER WASHING

You like to clean. And you may even like to use a power washer to wash your house. You can wash all sorts of things with a power washer. For example, you can clean patio furniture, decking, house siding, fences, and the stone on your house. And it’s easy to rent a full-size power washer, or even buy a small one. A power washer will make stains and grime disappear like magic. But it’s important to perform this maintenance task correctly.

how to ruin a window screen power wash window screen gutter king wichita — You can see the swirl path of damage from the power washer

Window Damage

A powerful force of water can destroy the seals around your windows. When the seals leak, you open up the potential to microbial growth and wood rot. And the strong force of water can easily damage screens as you can see above.

Stone Damage

If you power wash too close to masonry, mineral deposits can seep from the stone. You will see streaks and stains later, which are nearly impossible to remove.

Deck Damage

If you use a power washer on your wood deck, you risk serious damage to the wood. Pressure washing is an effective way to remove old paint, stain, and microbial growth. However, if you or a contractor uses too much pressure, you can damage the soft wood that is between the darker bands of wood.

Hire a professional for safety and best results. Gutter King Wichita can help. We use a “soft wash” method, along with an eco-friendly cleaning solution. We safely remove dirt and stains. Our system eliminates microbial growth without damage to your deck surfaces.

power wash deck can destroy soft wood gutter king wichita soft wash deck cleaning Home Maintenance Practices That Hurt — An eroded deck surface on the left, which was cleaned with a power washer

Home Maintenance is important; however, there are home maintenance practices that can hurt more than help.

Gutter Overflow

March 7, 2019June 18, 2021Gutter King WichitaLeave a Comment

gutter overflow can damage your home gutter cleaning wichita gutter king wichita

Gutter overflow can damage your home. When a gutter overflows, it’s bad. Gutters are designed to channel storm water runoff from your roof, into your downspouts. But when there is a problem, the water will spill over the sides of your gutters.

A few of the consequences to gutter overflow are:

a fall hazard
a cracked foundation
basement flooding
fascia board rot
stained or discolored siding
landscape erosion

Do these five things before gutter overflow damages your home:

1. Clean Out Your Gutters

gutter cleaning wichita Gutter Overflow Can Damage

At least twice each year, you need to climb up a ladder (or hire a professional) and remove the sludge, pine needles, twigs, and leaves. Then using a garden hose, run water through the gutters and downspouts. If there is a blockage, you may have to use a high pressure sprayer to break up.

2. Install Gutter Guards

gutter guards wichita Gutter Overflow Can Damage

It’s important to cover your gutters with a product designed to keep solids out of the gutters. They are made from a variety of materials and come in many different designs. While economical, many of the alternatives found at the big box stores become plugged with debris due to the larger openings. And unless they’re professionally installed gutter guards, they typically blow off the gutters during our Kansas high winds.

3. Check the Tilt and Pitch of Your Gutters

gutter king wichita check tilt and pitch of gutter

Check the slope of your gutters. If it’s flat, water will stand in the gutters and will not flow toward the downspouts. If the slope is too steep, the water will splash over at the ends during heavy rain. Also, check the pitch of your gutters by using a level to make sure they aren’t tilting backward or forward. Gutter King Wichita can help you with this. Give us a call.

4. Check Your Gutter Sizes

gutter king wichita large gutter downspout

In homes which have steep-pitched roofs, sometimes the existing gutters are just too small to handle the volume of runoff that flows from the roof. You may need to install larger gutters. Call us for a free inspection.

5. Install Gutter Shields

Runoff water in roof valleys is typically traveling too fast to drain into gutters and will splash over and onto the ground. Use gutter shields or gusher guards wherever you have a valley section of roof, to help prevent water from flowing over the lip of your gutter. A gutter shield is usually an L-shaped piece of aluminum attached at the corner of a gutter system, at the roof valley. This diverts water into the gutters. To install, drill holes into the splash guards and gutter, then install rivets inside the holes, to permanently fasten the splash guard to your gutters.

Call us at 316.680.6708 for a Free Inspection. If there is an issue, we can quickly provide you with a free, no obligation quote for cleaning or repair.

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Why Are My Gutters Dripping?

March 3, 2019February 21, 2020Gutter King WichitaLeave a Comment

why are my gutters dripping gutter cleaning wichita — Drippy gutters create fall hazards in the winter

“Why Are My Gutters Dripping?” is a question worth exploring. It is not uncommon for people to ignore leaking gutters. When you see a little water dripping from your gutter, it is important to understand what may be the cause. Below, we discuss five common causes of dripping gutters that we see frequently.

Discovering the Possible Reasons for Dripping Gutters

First, we recommend that you have a professional meet with you to inspect your gutter systems. Because of varying degrees of issues, it’s impossible to diagnose every cause in an article. But following are the most common reasons.

5 Common Reasons for Dripping Gutters

Begin with a walk around the exterior of your home. You don’t need to climb a ladder and risk a fall.

1. Loose Fasteners

Your rain gutters are attached to the fascia boards with a screw, nail, or hanger. These go straight through the side of the gutter and into the fascia board. When loose, they create small leaks around the hole of the fastener. When there is a hole, there is a dripping gutter. Loose fasteners also cause the next item, improper gutter slope.

2. Improper Gutter Slope

Over time, gutters will sag. One reason is because of loose fasteners. So that rain water drains towards the downspouts, your gutters should be installed with a slight downward slope. When fasteners are loose, rain water will weigh down the gutter and change the slope. And when this happens, you will have a dripping gutter.

When a gutter sags, often times, the best way to fix is to have the sagging sections re-hung.

3. Cracks or Holes

Small cracks and holes are repaired by sealing with a special waterproof gutter sealant. If not repaired, the smaller cracks and holes will enlarge over time and you’ll notice your gutters dripping.

If holes are large, the best way to resolve is to replace the entire section of gutter.

4. Clogged Gutters

clogged gutters gutter cleaning wichita gutter king wichita — Pine needles clog the rain gutter

Clogged gutters cause rain water to back-up and not flow through the downspout. When water backs up, it will pour over the sides and edges of the gutter.

It’s very important to keep your gutters and downspouts clean from leaves and debris. Worse things can happen with clogged gutters, than just water flowing over the sides and edges.

5. Separated Joints

The gutter section joints–especially in the corners or ends, eventually begin to separate over time. When we clean your gutters, we reseal and tighten your gutter systems.

Are Your Gutters Dripping?

There are several reasons why gutters leak. Stay safe and call us for a FREE INSPECTION. If we find an issue, we quickly provide you with a estimate for cleaning or needed repairs.

5 Tips to Prevent Winter Damage to Your Gutters

January 20, 2019February 21, 2020Gutter King WichitaLeave a Comment

prevent winter damage to your gutters ice dam

Winter gutter maintenance is necessary for safe and long-lasting roofs. For instance, you might think gutter care is less important in winter; however, gutters can be damaged winter cold. Below, we have tips to prevent winter damage to your gutters

Inspect

Regularly inspect your roof and gutters to make sure there aren’t blockages or breaks. Scoop out leaves and debris. Run water through your gutter and downspout. Unclog the spout if water doesn’t flow freely. Also, check for slow-moving water towards the downspout. This coudl be an indication of issues with pitch or slope.

prevent winter damage to your gutters

Insulation

Quality attic insulation and ventilation can prevent ice dams from forming. You should have a minimum of 12 inches of insulation in your attic. Typically, if you can see the ceiling joists, you need more insulation.

prevent winter damage to your gutters

Gaps

Attach seams and anchors firmly to the house. For example, there should be no gap between the fascia and gutter. If your gutters are not attached correctly to the sides of the house, this can create a gap. If ice and snow accumulate in this gap, gutters are easily damaged.

prevent winter damage to your gutters

Pitch

Pitch gutters properly to allow water to travel into the downspout. Gutters need to be pitched 1/2 inch per 10 linear feet, to lead water into your downspout.

prevent winter damage to your gutters

Above All, Hire a Professional–

Even with proper winter maintenance, there are still issues which can damage gutters. In the winter, backed up water can freeze and result in ice dams, which will damage the roof of your home! And the slower water drains from your gutters, the easier it is to freeze in cold weather.

Call us today for a free gutter inspection. If needed, we also provide a free estimate to clean and repair your gutters. You’ll see for yourself the reason why we continue to leave our customers extremely pleased.