Chapter 2: Clogged Gutters & Basement Flooding
Health Concerns - Maintaining Your Gutters
We have already covered the importance of preventing gutter overflow, by keeping your gutters free of leaves, and debris. So you may be telling yourself, ok I'll make sure to clean them out. Yet nearly all over-the-counter gutter solutions require that you get out that ladder in the garage and climb up there with a hose to clean your gutter.
According to the US Consumer product Safety Commission, there are more than 164,000 emergency room-treated injuries in the US relating to ladders each year.
Now consider your own situation for a moment. How many times every fall and spring do you climb up on some shaky ladder to muck out some grimy gutters? Have you ever missed a step and barely caught yourself? Ever lost your balance and felt you heart rate increase for just a minute?
With good gutter protection you can leave the ladder in the garage where it belongs, or better yet never buy one in the first place. It will be explained later how to tell good from bad when it comes to gutter protection but for now all you need to know is that any gutter protection that keeps you off ladders is a good thing.