As the weather begins to feel more like winter than autumn and our thoughts turn towards family and friends as the Thanksgiving holiday approaches, don’t neglect your gutter maintenance routine.

No one likes to clean gutters – especially during the holiday season. But, with the winds blowing, this is the most important time of year to be on top of your gutters. Wind blows pine needles and leaves from shedding trees – not only into your yard, but into your gutters as well, causing obstructions in the gutters and downspouts. Organic matter, created by tannins in your stored water can be eliminated by removing debris from your gutters and screen baskets. While gutters should be inspected twice per month and cleaned as necessary to be sure your stored water remains clean and clear, this maintenance practice is most important at this time of year.

Don’t let an accident spoil your holidays. Please remember to take care while on a ladder by following manufacturer’s safety guidelines. To eliminate the need to climb a ladder, gutter screening is the most effective measure of first line screening.  Buy good quality gutter screens for high performance. An extruded framework with stainless steel meshing is desirable.

Don’t forget the screen baskets in either the sump tank or top of cisterns, too. They should be inspected a few times per month and cleaned as needed.

These simple gutter maintenance tasks will help ensure collected water is safe and clean.

Ken Blair

President at RainBank Rainwater Systems

A rainwater collection systems designer and consultant, Ken has designed and installed residential and commercial systems, primarily in the northwest United States for more than 10 years and, in 2014, began consulting and managing builds in other states. Ken is an accredited ARCSA Professional Designer / Installer and Life Member, the Northwest Regional ARCSA representative and advisor to its education committee and is available to speak about Rainwater Collection Systems design and builds.

Ken is a United States Navy veteran, having served on active duty during the Vietnam War era.

A career entrepreneur, Ken created a new business focus with a commercial dive company in Hawaii in the mid 1980′s to respond to and clean up oil spills, oil spill equipment training, service and maintenance for the oil co-op service industry. Ken is passionate about having a positive impact on the environment and is also a founding director of BANK-ON-RAIN (2011-2014), whose mission is to create grassroots solutions for rainwater collection for consumption and agriculture in developing areas of the planet.