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Cleaning Patio Furniture


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Patio Furniture Clean Up. This summer choose a sunny, warmer day to pull your patio furniture out of storage and deep clean it if you have not yet. Like we’ve said above, choose a sunny day. It give your furniture and cushions ( if washable) time to dry. Before you get started, gather all your materials such as: soap, glass cleaner, bucket, water, sponges and your garden hose. Choose cleaning method based on the type of patio furniture you have. Below we have 4 different methods for wicker, wrought iron, wood, and plastic, as well as cushions and the umbrella. PLASTIC FURNITURE Bring all the furniture and set it on a concrete slab. Mix 1/4 cup of mild dish soap with one gallon of water, then dip a brush or sponge and scrub furniture. After you give them a good scrub, rinse with water and let them air dry. If you notice water spots, wipe them with a cloth. The same cleaning method can be used for glass top furniture and after they dry, spray with glass cleaner and wipe clean with cloth. WICKER FURNITURE For wicker furniture, use a soft bristle brush and the soap mix from above. This will dislodge dirt and remove stains. Rinse with garden hose and let air dry. WOOD PATIO FURNITURE For wood furniture, the cleaning mix is a little different. Combine two oz of bleach with one gallon of hot water. Use a sponge and apply to furniture. Let it sit for 15 mintutes and use a soft brush to scrub. Scrub WITH the grain not against. Rinse with garden hose and let air dry. WROUGHT IRON FURNITURE Wrought iron furniture can be a bit trickier to clean, especially if there’s rust. If there is rust, remove the rust with sandpaper and repaint as needed. If there is no rust then you can wash your furniture with a soap mixture used for the plastic chairs. After you rinse the soap off the furniture you can take an extra step and finish with a coat of wax. CLEANING CUSHIONS To clean cushions, lay them out on a hard, clean surface, but don’t put them on grass or dirt. Spray the cushions with a hose using the nozzle attachment, then pour dish soap onto a wet sponge and scour the cushions. Rinse your cushions clean with the hose until all the soap is gone. Kneel on each cushion, pressing it from top to bottom, to squeeze the water out, also flip the cushions every few hours so both sides can dry. If your cushions did not make it or are old, you can toss them out or just replace the fabric on them. DON’T FORGET THE UMBRELLA To clean a patio umbrella, place old sheets on the ground, then spread the opened umbrella out on top of the sheets. Use soapy water and a scrub brush to remove dirt, then rinse it thoroughly with a hose. Let the umbrella air dry completely before putting it back up. For a free estimate on gutter cleaning, repairs or adding gutter guards, call us today! Our experienced team will take the guess-work out of the process, and ensure that your home is protected. Connect with us for daily inspiration, updates and information: Facebook | Twitter | Pinterest | Instagram

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Fall Decor Tips


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Fall Decor Tips Fall Decor Tips. Are you wanting to boost your curb appeal without really changing your home this fall? Add some simple fall decor to bring the fall season into swing. Mums The Word Mums are a great fall flower. With their bright and fun colors, it get anyone into the fall season. If the exterior of your home has a color scheme, find mums that fit into that scheme ( they come in all sorts of colors).   Pumpkins & Gourds Pumpkins and gourds are not long meant for thanksgiving decor and jack-o-lanterns. There are tons of different tutorials on different styles on decorating pumpkins and gourds. Check out our exterior decorating page on pinterest for some great tutorials and looks.   Festive Fall Wreath As cheesy as it sounds, a good festive wreath can really boost your homes exterior. It looks festive and inviting all at the same time by adding a pop of color and flair to your home. If you can’t find one you like at the store there are hundreds of different styles and types that you can make or buy online via Pinterest. The possibilities are endless. For a free estimate on gutter cleaning, repairs or adding gutter guards, call us today! Our experienced team will take the guess-work out of the process, and ensure that your home is protected. Connect with us for daily inspiration, updates and information: Facebook | Twitter | Pinterest | Instagram

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5 Projects To Finish Before Labor Day


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5 Projects To Finish Before Labor Day Labor day is coming close and it marks the end of summer. Start of autumn-like things such as school, fall, and end of the outdoor season. We have 5 Projects To Finish Before Labor Day. Before weather dips too cold and prevents you from wanting to spend a large amount of time outside.  Installing Gutter Guards Investing in new gutter guards for your home can be a real investment to protect your gutters from bad clogs in fall and winter as well as providing your with clean rain water if you use it to water plants and etc. We offer several different types of gutter guards, ranging from our higher end line, Mastershield, to our drop in and leafproof gutter guards. So depending on what type of debris you are looking to keep out we have you covered. Curb Appeal Projects Any type of curb appeal project that you may have in mind, this is the time to get it down. Replacing your roof, replacing windows, adding a deck to your home, no matter what it may be the time is now. The weather is nice and the rain is less often, so call a schedule with a professional today! Caulk & Seal Windows Proper window maintenance can make the difference on the lifetime of your windows. If you do a annual checkup around this time of the year you can do all the repairs, caulking and replacements that may be needed. Scrub & Seal Your Deck If you already have a deck, a good cleaning and a new coat of sealant can help it keep its glossy sheen and protect your decking from the harsh winter weather. Organize/Prepare Garage/Shed For Storage Preparing for winter can also mean properly storing items such as lawn equipment, patio furniture, etc. This may mean that you need to clean your garage or storage shed to make room to store items. Or maybe you know it needs to be reorganized. Set a day aside and make it happen. The only thing holding you back is time. Let your gutter cleaning worries be behind you! For a free estimate on gutter cleaning, repairs or adding gutter guards, call us today! Our experienced team will take the guess-work out of the process, and ensure that your home is protected. Connect with us for daily inspiration, updates and information: Facebook | Twitter | Pinterest | Instagram  

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Gutter Maintenance Tips #20 – Wet Basement Fix


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Wet Basement Fix A wet basement is no joke. This can be caused by a number of issues, the most important precaution is to look to see if your gutters are clean and downspouts are not clogged as well as properly diverting water away from your home’s foundation. If downspout water is puddling around the foundation, extend the downspout at least 10 feet from the house. You will also need to check the surface around your home. If you notice any puddling around your homes foundation, fill them in. The land around your home should slope down to not allow puddle to form around your home. If none of the above looks like it’s causing the water to run into your basement look inward or it could be subsurface water which truly calls for a professional. For help with getting water out and away from your basement, call a professional for more help. For a free estimate on gutter cleaning, repairs or adding gutter guards, call us today! Our experienced team will take the guess-work out of the process, and ensure that your home is protected. Connect with us for daily inspiration, updates and information: Facebook | Twitter | Pinterest | Instagram

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Spring Yard Maintenance


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Spring Yard Maintenance Spring is here and it’s time to get the outside of your home looking as great as the inside. This means a little Spring yard maintenance. We have a small checklist to get you on the right track. Clean Your Gutters This needs to be done before you do any other type of yard work, unless you have trees above your branches that could get debris in them. For more tips of DIY gutter cleaning please view our previous post on the subject,but if you are looking for a professional gutter cleaning service ( like gutters & guards, Inc.) please call today and get an appointment set up before the spring time rush hits. Prune Dead Or Damaged Branches from Trees and Bushes Taking care of dead or damaged trees/bush branches can not only promoting a fuller plant. It can protect your home from a dead branch from falling on your home. Use the proper trimming tool to trim up those bushes. If the trees around your home are too large, please hire a professional. Clean Debris From Flower Beds And Around Plants In the fall we rake our yard to clean up the leaves but it’s nearly impossible to rid your yard completely. Clean out your flowers beds and remove mulch if you have old mulch from last year. Compost ( If you want) Why not start a small composting bin to let nature do it thing. Rid your yard of all the debris. It’s also a great place to put the gutter debris after you clean your gutters! Prep Your Lawn For Seeding Spring is a great time to reseed your lawn in preparation of summer. Use a rake to loosen the problem areas and sprinkle with grass seeding of choice. Neaten Up Hardscape Your hardscape can take a real beating in the winter. With snow falling and melting moving the dirt around your hardscape stones. Brush off your stones and fill around as needed to keep that great hardscape look. For a free estimate on gutter cleaning, repairs or gutter leaf guards, call us today! Gutters & Guards experienced team will take the guess-work out of the process, and make sure that your home is protected. Connect with us for daily inspiration, updates and information: Facebook | Twitter | Pinterest | Instagram

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Winter Lawn Maintenance


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Winter Lawn Maintenance can be an important part of keeping you homes’ curb appeal up. Keeping your gutters clean is a part of lawn maintenance. Taking care of your lawn and landscape can help you keep you gutters clean because there is less debris to fall into your gutters. During the winter, take warmer days to do some lawn work, such as: Weed Removal This is a job you can work on after all the bigger snows for the season are over. Weed out all the flowerbeds to prepare for spring growth and gardening. Fertilize Shrubs & Flowerbeds Fertilize around your shrubs and flowerbeds in late fall/early winter to get them in prime condition for spring planting. This will replace all the nutrients that can be lost from the soil during the hot summer months. Once the weather turns cold, the fertilizer will stay in the soil and feed your lawn’s roots all winter long. Remove Dead Flowers Remove dead flowers from flower beds and pots. It might be a good idea to store your pots and other small plant holders that could potentially break from the extreme cold weather or might get broken if the wind knocks them down. Avoid excess lawn traffic If an object is left on your lawn over the winter, this creates a dead spot on your lawn. Also make sure to use your sidewalk and walkway. Clear your walkways to prevent visitors and family members from using your lawn as a cut-through. If you have a lot of traffic through your lawn during the winter, this is create dead spots on your lawn. Don’t park any vehicles on your lawn either. It’s a big lawn killer. You can start seeding your lawn once it gets closer to spring around the beginning of March. For a free estimate on gutter installation, repairs or gutter leaf guards, call us today! Our experienced team will take the guess-work out of the process, and make sure that your home is protected. Connect with us for daily inspiration, updates and information: Facebook | Twitter | Pinterest | Instagram

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Gutter Color Choices


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Gutter Color Choices Gutter Color Choices. Gutters are a necessity when it comes to homeowner-ship. They are important to keep your home functioning and running right. With gutters it’s not the same as it was 30 years ago, gutters can now be functional and stylish. We offer over 30+ colors in seamless aluminum gutters, as well as copper gutters. Using colors on your gutters can give your home some added curb appeal and really give it a custom home look. Below we have some examples of gutters colors paired with siding and stone that can be used for a home remodel.             To view more of our color listing please visit our Gutter Installation page where we have links to show you all of the available options of gutter colors to choose from.  Also check out our blog post that is All About Seamless Gutters. View photos to see some of the darker gutter colors. For a free estimate on gutter installation, repairs or gutter leaf guards, call us today! Gutters & GUards experienced team will take the guess-work out of the process, and ensure that your home is protected. Connect with us for daily inspiration, updates and information: Facebook | Twitter | Pinterest | Instagram  

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Winter Curb Appeal


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Winter Curb Appeal Winter-time is usually when you are not thinking about curb appeal and thinking more about how is my house handling this weather. We suggest that you think about both. You can do small little things to keep your home looking great when there is a foot of snow in your yard. Below is a few different suggestions to help you get your home looking great this winter.   Keep Your Pathways & Walkways Clear Slipping can be a dangerous thing to happen in the winter. Making sure that you always have plenty of de-icer and a snow shovel handy is important for making this happen and keeping your walkways pedestrian safe. You can also see if your gutters are leaking. If you see a slick spot (or happen to find one) this will let you know that your gutters may have a problem that needs to be addressed when it’s warmer. Take a photo so you want to remember the spot when it gets warmer. It not only gives your home some great winter curb appeal; it keeps your family safe. Exterior Lighting This can be an important part of keeping around your home safe. Since the days are shorter and it gets darker earlier, it’s a pretty smart investment when it comes to safety around the home. There are lots of different ideas to choose from when it comes to exterior lighting. We really like this idea (link). It gives this home almost a fairy-tale look. If whimsical isn’t your style there are also some really great lighting hardware that can bring light to your home while keeping a more conservative look.We suggest something more modern and sleek, such as this (link) Whatever you choose you can rest knowing that your home is a little more safer when you can see where you’re going. Winter Decor Add a festive wreath to your entry door, or decorating your empty flower boxes with a seasonal flowers.   Using evergreens and other fake plants would be easier to manage especially when the temperature drops down into those brisk/cold days. Though this is more of a holiday design it could last all year-long. (link) If that isn’t something you’d want to keep all winter long you can add a bird house or something else to keep your flower box full during the winter months (link). Don’t forget about a wreath. Wreaths are a fast and creative way to add curb appeal and charm to your home.  We found a fantastic guide with over 35+ different wreath ideas that range from holiday to just winter themed. (link) To learn more about winter curb appeal please visit our pinterest board Outdoor Decor. For a free estimate on heated gutter guards, adding regular gutter guards or gutter repairs, call us today! Our experienced team will take the guess-work out of the process, and ensure that your home is protected. Connect with us for daily inspiration, updates and information: Facebook | Twitter | Pinterest | Instagram

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Preparing Your Home For The Holiday Season


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Preparing Your Home For The Holiday Season is a big task. With traveling, shopping and more it can make your head spin.  We’re here to help you whip your home into shape so if your expecting visitors you’ll have no worries about being disorganized, at least when your home comes into play. The first thing we suggest you do it CLEAN YOUR GUTTERS! This is not only important to prepare for the incoming winter weather but it will prevent ice dams, leaks and slick spots on your walkways. If you know that you have no time to DIY please call a professional to take care of it for you ( such as Gutters & Guards, Inc) that way it will be off your honey to-do list and you’ll not have to worry about gutter problems on those cold winter months. Rake the leaves, if you haven’t already. This will help your yard look well-kept and when snow begins to fall it will leave less of a mess. Bring out the welcome mat. Give your front entrance a cheerful holiday look by adding a festive mat, wreath and lights! To learn more about hanging lights on your home please view our recent post! Make your home seem like a winter wonderland even if there is no snow on the ground. Slip proof your home. This means fixing those loose steps, handrails and walkways. We also suggest using a double-sided tape for that slippery rug in the foyer. It might be a good idea to stock up on de-icer as well. Light the way. Make sure your outdoor lights are in perfect working order and are on before your guests leave. That way no one is tripping over their own feet. Other little things that you can do when preparing Your Home For The Holiday Season is: Changing the batteries in your CO and Fire alarms Updating your 1st aid kit Check your fire extinguisher and making sure it works. Having jumper cables on stand-by in-case a visitor’s car battery decides to quit. making sure your bathroom is stocked with plenty of hand towels and toilet paper. Adding more hangers to your coat closet and having a place for guest to place their muddy shoes. Quick Cleaning Tip When Preparing Your Home For The Holiday Season: Every week tackle a single room or area by applying four key skills to organize your home – eliminate clutter, organize, clean and plan for the holiday decorating touches that will make your home  look amazing. In the early stages of the plan, focus on your personal spaces, which make it easier to plan for the approaching season and give you the organized space you’ll need for decorations, craft gifts, wrapping and more. If you need help on gutter cleaning or other gutter related issues, please give us a call and we’ll be happy to help. For a free estimate on gutter cleaning, repairs or adding gutter guards, call us today! Our experienced team will take the guess-work out of the process, and ensure that your home is protected. Connect with us for daily inspiration, updates and information: Facebook | Twitter | Pinterest | Instagram

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Fast Fact #36 – Gutter Color


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  To learn more about our color options you can view a previous post we did on gutter color. We also have another post with even more (and updated) gutter color options! If you want to see some of the different colors in action please visit our photos page and take a look at the different gutter choices homeowners and builders have made when it comes to their gutter color. For some of the more adventurous color choices, check out our pinterest page where we share some of those gutter colors. For a free estimate on gutter cleaning, repairs or adding gutter guards, call us today! Our experienced team will take the guess-work out of the process, and ensure that your home is protected. Connect with us for daily inspiration, updates and information: Facebook | Twitter | Pinterest | Instagram

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