Whether you’re looking into moving to Denver or any other place, you may not know moving may actually be good for you! Sure, there’s a lot that goes into planning a flawless move (though less when you hire a reliable long distance moving company!), but the actual act of moving may be better for you than you think. Here’s why.
A Fresh Start
Sometimes, a place, no matter how much you love it, can become stifling. Doing the same thing day in and day out can be tiring, and seeing the same scenery and people all day every day can be exhausting too. Moving means a change of pace, and it’s one great way to jumpstart your soul. Another really good reason to move is if you find the place that you’re currently living in very stressful.
How can a place be stressful? One good example is if you live in a condo community where every decision is made by a number of people that sit on a condo board. Those meetings can be entirely stressful, and sometimes the decisions made simply result in headaches for everyone living in the community. If the place that you’re living in creates a world of stress for you, maybe it’s time to move.
How to Decide
Take a happiness test by asking yourself how often you feel happy in your current surroundings. For example, if you live in a place that is surrounded in snow and cold for most of the year, you may not be happy with these conditions for that good part of the year. Sure, summer is sweeter when you’ve been through such a long and tough winter, but would your quality of life be even better if you lived in a warmer climate all year long?
It’s not just about the weather either. Think about all the times that you wish you lived somewhere else. Do you think about moving on a regular basis? Are you envious of people that live in other towns and cities? What about your job situation? Are there more opportunities in your profession in other areas? Or, how about your housing situation? Will your money go further in another place?
Would you be able to afford a bigger or nice house on the same salary somewhere else? All of these things have to be taken into consideration when you think about moving. You may just find that moving is the break that you need from life, and moving to a place that makes you truly happy means experiencing that level of happiness all year long (and doesn’t that sound amazing?).
When to Move
Exodus, your Fort Collins movers, are ready to move whenever you are. We can move you across town or across the world with no problem, but there are some seasons that are more favorable than others when it comes to relocating. Winter tends to be one of the hardest seasons to move in simply due to weather conditions, but if you’re moving to a warmer climate, that might not be so bad. You should also know that the summertime is the most popular time to move, so make sure to book a moving company before summer rolls around if this is what you have in mind.
No matter when you decide to move, Exodus can help you get where you want to go, but more importantly, think about whether or not you should move. Life is short enough as it is, shouldn’t you live somewhere that you love? Moving can be a great experience that opens your eyes to other cultures and people, and also allows you to fully blossom as a person. Moving is, in many ways, a new beginning, and it can be a real awakening. If you are ready to move, call Exodus for a complete free quote. We also have ample storage space in both Denver and Fort Collins, just in case you don’t want to get rid of everything when you move.
Join in our conversation on Facebook, and let us know the answer to this question: Has a move ever improved your life?
There are many great reasons you should choose to hire a Colorado moving company to help you with your move. It’s much less of a hassle when you don’t have to wrangle up all of your friends with trucks, or drive the rental moving van you aren’t entirely comfortable being behind the wheel of. Some people would just rather not worry about the logistics involved with getting their belongings from point A to point B. Others rely on the moving company to deal with every aspect of the move, including packing of the boxes, in order to wash their hands of the moving chores everyone detests.
If money is tight, you might be tempted to do it all on your own. It might be a pain, but it’s doable. However, it’s not about what vehicle you’re moving those boxes and furniture in, but more a question about how you’re lifting them. Even the most in-shape person can tweak a muscle just right, knocking them out of commission for weeks.
Here’s a list of tips for those not relying on Denver movers, doing all of the heavy lifting yourself, so that you don’t end up sidelined with a move-related injury.
Lift with your legs. You’ve probably heard this a few times in your lifetime, and for good reason – your spine and the muscles that help them do the lifting really shouldn’t be bearing the brunt of the weight. In order to keep your back happy and as pain-free as possible, bend your knees deeply and use your leg muscles when you are lifting heavy objects, keeping your spine as straight as you can.
Engage your abs. So the only six-pack you have is waiting in the fridge for when you are done moving, but that doesn’t mean your abs aren’t important! No matter what your midsection looks like, you should be engaging those all-important core muscles whenever you are lifting something, heavy or not. Just like lifting with your legs, engaging the most muscles as you can will help lighten the load for your back muscles and spine.
Hold them close. Your body is an effective machine for moving, but only when used properly. When you lift a box or heavy item, holding the item as closely as possible to your body is the best way to ensure you avoid injury. Keep your feet apart, spread in a wide stance. This will help your spine and neck.
Don’t push it. You probably have a pretty good idea of your capabilities in terms of lifting things. However, for some reason, certain people get it in their heads they are Superman/Superwoman, and can all of a sudden heft heavy items like a champ despite not normally being capable of such feats. When you try to move objects that you know full well you shouldn’t be lifting on your own, you increase the chances of injuring yourself dramatically. Get help – whether from family members, friends, neighbors, or even full service moving companies. Better safe than sorry! And just because you can lift heavy boxes on your own doesn’t mean you should be moving furniture on your own. No matter how strong you are, the size of certain items dictates you acquire help, or leave it to the experts.
Comprise a game plan. Once your stuff is all moved in to your new home, it’s time to start placing furniture and unpacking those heavy boxes. If you need to relocate certain items to different areas of the house, be sure to think about where exactly the item is going to end up before you lift. The less time you are lugging these heavy items, the less your chances for being injured.
The Colorado Association of Realtors (CAR) is an integral part of our community. It is the largest professional network of realtors in the state, and it’s also a non-profit, voluntary, professional real estate association. What is CAR all about, and why has Exodus Moving and Storage partnered with this important association?
What CAR Does
The purpose of the Colorado Association of Realtors is to protect all aspects of real estate and to protect everyone that works in the Colorado real estate industry. CAR works with commercial brokers, residential brokers, home owners, property owners, land owners, and homeowners to ensure that all real estate professionals regardless of title are protected. Essentially, CAR’s mandate is to make sure that real estate professionals succeed when they become Realtors.
There are so many aspects of the real estate industry that it helps to have an association like CAR working on both the side of the Realtor with potential Realtor and with land and homeowners. CAR provides information for anyone involved in real estate including various conferences and meetings that aim to help people with becoming a Realtor or understanding various laws related to real estate.
Help With Becoming a Realtor
There’s a lot that goes into becoming a professional broker, whether commercial or residential, and having a guiding hand can certainly help. CAR offers licensing details, information about local associations, and plenty of conferences that are available for any aspiring realtor. The CAR also focuses on information geared towards home buyers and homeowners.
Buying a Home
Purchasing a home is one of the biggest investments and life changing events that a person can go through. There are a lot of details that go into buying the home including things like what to do after a contract has been signed, figuring out how much you can afford, weighing the pros and cons between renting and buying, and many other important details. CAR aims to provide all of this accurate information to potential homebuyers through the CAR website. Homeowners and buyers can also attend any information session hosted by CAR that pertains to homeownership.
You should have lots of questions about buying a new home. CAR tries to answer those questions on the association’s main website. You can also contact CAR for additional information about the fine details associated with buying or selling any kind of home or business. While the Internet provides some details, CAR focuses on Colorado real estate specifically, and that makes all the difference!
A Complete Picture
Finding information about any aspect of selling or buying a home can be hard to do, and that’s what CAR exists — to make these details understandable and accessible to all. This is also one of the reasons why Exodus Moving and Storage has partnered with CAR. Exodus works with local associations and businesses that make an impact on our community, and CAR certainly fits that bill. Exodus is proud to be a partner of CAR, and we look forward to many additional events and collaborations with CAR in the future as well.
Moving to Your New Home
In addition to working with and supporting important figures and associations in our community, Exodus Moving and Storage operates a full-service moving company. We also offer storage solutions in both Fort Collins and Denver. If you need movers in Fort Collins for office moving or residential moving purposes, contact Exodus for a free estimate today. When it come to planning a move, CAR and Exodus can help!
Moving to a new town means starting from scratch, and if you have a kid or two, that can mean finding a playgroup in your new area. How do you go about finding the right group for your kids, and where can you look? Here are some ways to find the perfect playgroup, so your child can play with other kids, and you can connect with other parents in the area.
Meetup groups: Meetup.com has a lot of different groups available in most areas. All you have to do to find a playgroup is to use keywords (like playgroup + your town), and see what you come up with. There’s a good chance that you’ll have more than a few to select from.
Yelp groups: Kind of like Meetup.com, Yelp.com includes a number of different groups too, and you may be able to find one or even start one (what a great way to meet new people!) in your area. Both sites are definitely worth a look!
Local library: Sometimes, your local library will have information about playgroups in the area. Look for a community bulletin board, or ask a librarian about finding this kind of information.
Local recreation centers: Does your new town have a recreation center? These place are typically meeting spots for all kinds of activities including playgroups. If the center doesn’t offer anything, they might be able to tell you where to find additional details. Sometimes, you do have to register for a group in advance, so keep that in mind.
Ask your pediatrician: When you move to a new town, you’ll have to find a new doctor for your child. Often, these professionals know of different playgroups in town, and they may be able to help you out.
Talk to other parents: If you hit up the local playground and see other parents, don’t be shy. We are often so disconnected in today’s society that we sometimes are bashful when it comes to things like simply reaching out and saying “hello” to someone new — chances are that the mom at the playground is looking for some friends too!
Google it: You’d be surprised what you come up with if you take a few moments to Google words like “your city + playgroup.” A lot of other parents just like you have probably set up some form of online bulletin board where you can find a lot of information for you and your child. Take a moment to explore these groups, and you’ll quickly find what you are looking for!
Exercise classes: While not a traditional playgroup taking place on a playground, exercise classes that have been developed for kids and parents are a great way to meet other moms. Sign up for a yoga or dance or other class, bring your child with you (if it’s child-friendly), and start networking that way. In no time, you’ll have tons of new friends with children that you can socialize and enjoy spending time with!
Moving Long Distance
It can be hard to uproot your family and move to another town, especially if that town is located really far away from your old area. One thing that you can do to alleviate some of the stress is to work with a reliable moving company like Exodus Moving and Storage. Not only will we be happy to provide you with a moving quote that we will stick by, we are also more than happy to help you with every aspect of your move from packing to unpacking. Our goal is to make moving as painless for you as possible, and that includes coordinating every bit of your move, so that you can focus on things like finding playdates for your child, or connecting with other parents that you can become friends with.
It can be really hard to make new friends in a new town, but at least you won’t have to worry about the Denver movers that you hire if you work with Exodus! While getting out there and meeting new people can seem intimidating, you’ll have a much richer life in your new town if you do start networking. Are you looking for a playgroup in your new area? Come and join in the conversation on Facebook — you’re sure to find other people that are in your same situation!
Volunteering is a great way to explore your new town, get submersed in a new culture, and make some new friends — not to mention the contribution you’ll be giving to society when you decide to help out! Volunteers come in all shapes, sizes, and ages, and you’re never too old or too young to help when it’s needed. If you’re wondering where to begin, and how to let people know that you are volunteering, here are some tips that could help.
Think about what you love to do, and what you would love to do more of. Do you like working with animals, kids, or elderly people? Do you enjoy working with sick people, and think that you may like to work in a hospital setting? Is there some kind of charity or other organization that you’d love to donate your time to? Start with these places by calling up the local chapters of charities or organizations in your new town, and asking how you can become a volunteer. Most places have some kind of volunteer program already set up, so stepping into this kind of role shouldn’t be too hard to do.
Consider how much time you have to give. Most places that work with volunteers have more than a bit of work for people to do, and you will have to decide how much time you can actually donate before you tell an organization that you’re available. This way, you don’t overbook your time, and you can still volunteer when you do have the time.
Try to match the volunteer opportunities available with the skills that you already have, or with the tasks that you want to do. Your local animal shelter may have room for a volunteer that can clean cages regularly, but is this really what you want to do? Chances are that you have a specific skillset, and letting an organization know what it is that you’re good at will help you find a position that you really love.
Don’t take on too much at once. If you’ve just moved to a new town, you probably already have a lot to do. Narrow down your vounteer time to one hour per week, and increase that time as you see fit. You don’t want to bite off too much at the start, or you won’t have anywhere to go!
Get to know the other volunteers. When you arrive on the volunteer scene, try and branch out by talking to the other volunteers, and seeing if you have anything in common with them. You may not make best friends right away, but having some acquaintances in a new town can certainly be helpful!
You may want to turn your volunteer position into a permanent position, you never know! If you find that you really love the work you do, think about asking for a paid position. If you do a good enough job, most organizations would love to have a dedicated employee that can demonstrate her abilities clearly.
Working With Movers in Fort Collins
The biggest thing that you’ll have to concentrate on before your move is actually getting to your new destination. Once you’re there, you can start volunteering and looking for other work and other social circles. This is why working with the right moving team is really important. As movers in Fort Collins CO, Exodus Moving and Storage has years of experience moving people from one part of the world to the next. No matter where you want to move to, Exodus can help you get there with full moving services that include packing and unpacking in addition to moving everything that you own (we can also help with office moving).
We also know that sometimes there’s not enough room in your new place for all of your old furniture, and this is why Exodus has storage rental spaces available in both Fort Collins and Denver. Just let us know if you have something to store, and we’ll be happy to share our rates with you. Let us help you move, so that you can focus on more positive things like volunteering!
Moving to Fort Collins, CO? If this is your first big move, don’t worry – we’re here to help. You probably have many questions just to make sure you can get this done as smoothly as possible.
Let’s get those questions answered, shall we? Here are some of the most common questions people have about the moving process – hopefully, you’ll read this list and find just the answer you’re looking for!
Where do I start? This is easier than you think. Rather than turning to the internet for guidance, start with your co-workers, family, and friends. It’s better to get recommendations from those people you trust rather than random people on the internet, who may or may not be completely honest with their assessment. When you’ve narrowed your list down, contact the Better Business Bureau to make sure they’re on the up-and-up. If you do use the internet as your research method, know that some shady companies actually pay people to write reviews, so they may not be what they seem.
When should I move? Some people have no choice. If you’re a military family, you go where they tell you, when they tell you. If you are lucky enough to choose the time of year in which you move, you might be surprised to know the best time to move is during the winter. May to September is considered a busy season by moving companies, so it can be tough to land the moving company you want. They might be booked solid! You’ll find it much easier to get the residential moving company you desire during the fall and winter months. Remember to be as flexible as you can – this ensures the moving company can get you on the schedule more easily.
What exactly happens during the estimate process? A representative will come into your home to take an inventory of everything being moved room by room, estimating the size and weight of each item, and how many boxes they think will be required. They’ll go over the logistics with you – what, if any, packing services will be required, the dates you’d like to move, any special information, etc – and use all of this information to create an estimate. At this time, they can answer any questions you have.
What if something changes? If the date of your move changes unexpectedly, if you find there are items you neglected to list during the inventory process, or you wish to remove items from the inventory, just contact the moving company. They will update the inventory accordingly, and let you know if there is a change in your moving estimate.
I’ve opted to pack myself. Where do I start? It’s important you pack items well to ensure nothing is damaged in transit. First, make sure your boxes are up to the task. Yes, you can go to grocery and liquor stores to collect empty boxes, but they might not be the best way to protect your belongings. We can supply you with proper boxes that ensure everything arrives in the same condition it left in. If it really worries you, just leave the packing to us!
What if my new home isn’t ready for my stuff? Sometimes, you need to have your stuff moved before you can load it all into the new residence. In this case, storage is necessary for a certain period of time. Just talk to us about your needs – we can tell you all about our storage options. While we can’t put your family up for a period of time, we can store your stuff!
What about house plants? To guarantee their survival, it is recommended you move house plants on your own. If you’re moving from state to state, you’ll want to check regulations regarding incoming plants. Some states don’t allow it, while others do.
When should I start the process? Sometimes you have no choice, and need to expedite the process. If you can, contact moving companies as soon as possible. Not only will it give you the time to select the perfect company based on your needs, it will increase the chances you’ll be able to move exactly when you want to. This is especially true during the busy season. In the off-season, you’ll be able to shorten that amount of time.
Planning a move to the city that you’ve always wanted to live in is a great idea, and a great way to really take life by the reigns. But chances are that your dream city probably comes with small apartments. Small apartments can be great, though the one area of every small apartment that almost always needs work is the bathroom. If you’re considering moving into an apartment with a very small bathroom that needs work, you may have to get creative when it comes to redecorating.
Thankfully, we have some great bathroom decorating tips for you that won’t break the bank, won’t anger your landlord, and don’t require any major renovations. Sound good? Take a look at these great tips.
Go extra long. Is the bathroom ceiling super tall? Nothing looks more out of place (or dates a bathroom more) than a shower curtain that’s too short. You can buy extra long shower curtains, and hang these at a higher spot than a normal curtain. If you choose a clean color like white, you will immediately open up the space and trick the eye into thinking that your bathroom is much bigger than it actually is.
If you can’t find a longer curtain, you can also simply hang that shorter curtain lower by using chains and hooks — simply hang that curtain from a chain, and you’ve got a longer curtain instantly. Plus, chains can look clean and modern if you select the right ones (just attach the chains to shower curtain hooks).
Add more storage space. Small bathrooms tend to come with small medicine cabinets, and you may find that you don’t have enough space in that cramped cabinet for all of your things. You can hang shelves on the wall to hold some of your stuff, or you can purchase two large and thin cabinets, hang them next to each other, and create a much larger medicine cabinet space.
Change the lighting. Looking at dated lighting can also date your space. Surprisingly, changing bathroom lighting isn’t hard to do at all. Simply remove the older light, and replace it with something more modern for a better overall look.
Change the fixtures. Remove those old plastic bathroom sink fixtures, and replace it with something retro that you love. You can do the same thing when it comes to the fixtures inside of your bath or shower. Shower heads are simple enough to replace, and a professional plumber will only have to spend a few minutes replacing bath fixtures. Or, you can do this on your own if you know how to shut off the water supply properly.
Add some texture to the walls. Who says that you can’t put wallpaper in your bathroom? Go for something dramatic, and leave the rest of the spaces stainless and sparse for a great overall look that’s interesting and clean. Make sure you get proper wallpaper though, all that humidity could do a number to the wallpaper glue or the wallpaper itself.
Redo the caulking. Has the caulking in your bathroom seem better days? You can get down and dirty with a simple scraper and some new caulking. This project only takes a few hours, but you will see a world of difference.
Keeping It All Clean
The most important thing to remember when it comes to a small space is to keep it clean and uncluttered. Smaller bathrooms don’t have room for baskets and larger floor shelves, so try to keep things off of the floor and out of sight. A larger medicine cabinet will work wonders, and finding somewhere to put your towels will also help a great deal. If everything has a space and place, you can keep things clean and clutter-free.
Your Upcoming Move
Moving to a new place means a new change at decor, and that can be a lot of fun. If you haven’t booked a moving company yet, consider Exodus Moving and Storage. We can help you move anywhere you want to go, and we can also provide you with a completely free moving quote as soon as possible. Simply call our company today, and we will come out and give you a quote that we will stand behind. As Fort Collins movers, we know how hard it can be to pack up and move, and our job is to make the whole process a lot simpler for you!
Call us today, or find us on Facebook, and let us know what your small bathroom decorating ideas are.
Moving to Denver or anywhere else in the world? With a new move comes a lot of new opportunities to reinvent yourself, try things that you may not have tried before, and even start a new diet or lifestyle that interests you. If you have been thinking about a new type of diet for a long time, why not put that diet into place when you move?
A new diet doesn’t necessarily have to mean weight loss either. You can change your diet if you want to try something new, and the good news is that a new diet is relatively easy to do. But where do you begin? Here are some tips on how to start a new diet — you’ll quickly learn whether you love or hate your new lifestyle!
Read and research. Most diets have a background, a reason why they were invented. Let’s take the popular vegan diet. Most vegans do not eat any animal products because they do not believe that humans need to consume animal products. Some vegans stop eating meat for health reasons too, and this might be your motivator as well.
Before you start a diet of any kind, though (whether vegan or Paleo), it’s a good idea to read as much as you can about the diet. This way, you can understand why the diet was created, and how you can immerse yourself in the ways of the diet without becoming too hungry or nutrient deprived. Reading about a diet before you start is a great way to slowly take part in a food change.
Figure out what to eat. What do most people on this diet eat? Is it a portion control diet or a nutrient diet? Are you taking certain things into consideration like whether or not you need more nutrients or food if you are training?
Do you know what foods to grab when you are at the grocery store, or how to make certain essential things? There are a lot of food blogs that can be found online that will help you figure out all of these details, and it’s a good idea to find some trustworthy blogs before you change your diet.
Will you need to get your family on board, or can you follow a different diet than your family members? This is an important element to consider — especially if you don’t want to make a bunch of different dinners and lunches every day! Is this diet something your family will follow easily too?
Will you need some kind of doctor or nutritionist help? If you have any current health conditions, it’s wise to speak with your doctor before moving to a new diet. Also, a skilled nutritionist can really help where figuring out what to eat and how to balance on your new diet is concerned. Find a nutritionist in your area that has experience with the diet you are exploring, and learn how to build a solid meal plan based on the foods that you are now eating.
Consider moving slowly. You may find that changing your diet completely right away can cause a bit of a shock! Try incorporating a few things here and there, and eventually you can switch to the new diet completely. Just like anything else, slowly is usually better here.
Find other people that are on the same diet. The Internet is great for these things, but you can also use sites like Yelp to find people that are following the same new diet. Sometimes, sharing recipes and talking with people that are going through the same thing can help a great deal — plus, you’ll have new friends to dine with!
Remember to enjoy your diet change. The point of changing the way that you live is to enjoy the new changes, and not to hate them! If you do find a new diet, try it out, and can’t stand to live that way, don’t be too hard on yourself. Instead, realize that this diet might not be for you, and try something else – you have a whole lifetime to explore different diets.
Finding a Colorado Moving Company
So, now that you’ve made up your mind that you want to try a new diet when you move, you’ll have to book a company that can get you to your new home, right? This is where Exodus Moving and Storage comes into play. We are Denver movers that can help you pack up and move anywhere — we can also help you unpack! If you need storage space options, we can help you there too. Just ask.
When it come to moving, you have a great opportunity to try new things and to change your life however you want. Will you be trying out a new diet when you move? What diet intrigues you? Come and find us on Facebook, and let us know what diet you plan to try.
If you’ve already hired the Denver moving company that you plan to use, you may be well on your way to being packed and headed in your new direction. If you’ve hired a long distance moving company, though, you may have to stop over at a hotel before you actually arrive at your new home. While hotel stays can be fun and relaxing, there are some things that you should make a note of if you want to get along with the housekeeping staff.
The ‘Do Not Disturb’ Sign: ah, the DND sign. This sign exists so that housekeepers won’t bother you if that’s your wish and need, but you may find that some housekeepers knock on your door anyway. Why? Because they have to in some cases. Sometimes, hotels insist that maids knock to find out if everything is okay, and that may mean being disturbed. If you don’t want someone knocking, let the front desk know that you are serious about not being bothered.
Need a cleaning? Here’s what to do: if you find that you need to have your room cleaned after you told the staff not to bother you (and they passed by your room), you can still have your room cleaned. How? Find the housekeeping staff on your floor, and tell them that you are in need of having your room cleaned, but do it nicely. Or, you can just call the front desk and let them know what you need.
Stay awhile? Leave a tip. The housekeepers in any hotel appreciate tips, and leaving a good tip means that you may get a few extra things. Some housekeepers will organize your stuff, lay out towels on sinks to put your stuff on, give you extra products, or just provide you with everything that you need (including stocking the mini bar with extra water or folding your towels into swans) if you leave a tip. How much should you tip? One to two dollars is customary.
Go green? Most hotels now have the option to “go green” by not asking staff to wash your towels and other linens. This might be good for the environment, but it’s also good for that hotel chain’s wallet. The less staff needed to wash linens, the less the hotel has to pay for that staff. So, your housekeepers might appreciate the day off, but they may also appreciate the work hours, so we’ll make it your call in this case.
Housekeeping is hard! Just think of all those heavy mattresses, messes, and things that housekeepers have to do. Wouldn’t you appreciate a tip or two?
Smooth Hotel Sailing
It can be hard to be nice and friendly when you are jet lagged or just really tired from moving, but your long distance moving company should take care of all the actual moving, and all you have to do is get where you’re going. If you do have to stay at any hotels along the way, try and be as nice as possible. In this case, being kind to housekeeping staff will get you very far!
Booking That Long Distance Moving Company
If you haven’t booked your Denver moving company yet, call Exodus Moving and Storage to find out what our rates are, and how we can help you move. As a long distance moving company, we can easily move your things from where you are to anywhere in the world, all you have to do is call us to book today.
We also offer storage solutions in both Denver and Fort Collins, so ask us about our storage facility rates, or check out our Facebook page for more details.
The Colorado moving company has come and gone, you’ve unpacked the boxes, settled in, and now it’s time to get ready for winter. You splurged on the movers, so you’re looking to cut costs in this process. You start to think, “What can I do for myself?”
One of those things is cleaning your gutters. It’s important – if you have leaves and debris clogging your gutters, how can the snow and ice properly drain from your roof? If a lot of snow falls, you don’t want the snow melt hindered by leaves and debris, so it’s important to be sure they are free and clear for the spring. You can easily clean your gutters if you’re not afraid of heights or climbing ladders. And if you are afraid of climbing that ladder, you should consider overcoming that fear! It saves money, and it’s not hard at all.
Why?
To know why you should clean your gutters, you need to understand the purpose of the lowly gutter. The gutter directs water away from your home, and is crucial during all seasons – the spring and summer, they keep you from getting soaked during a torrential downpour while you’re trying to unlock your front door, and in the winter it keeps puddles created by dripping water from gathering which eventually turn into sheets of ice overnight that cause you to slip on your way to work.
These things happen when you don’t clean your gutters. A clog plugs up the gutters, blocking the downspout that comes out in the area you wanted the water to go, making the water overflow into the areas you DON’T want water to go. In the winter, that means ice dams will form. During the summer, the water that collects and cannot drain properly becomes a breeding ground for mosquitoes. In the winter, the frigid temps causes expansion of the gutter system due to freezing water, which can damage gutters and make them leak.
How to Clean Your Gutters
First, you want to make sure you have everything you need (and some things you could do without, but really, you should have all of it to be truly prepared). You’ll definitely need a ladder and a bucket (optionally a wheelbarrow instead), gloves, and goggles to protect your eyes from errant sticks and debris. A dust mask is ideal, and if you’d like, you can buy a leaf scooper (but your gloved hands work just as effectively).
Begin by scooping up handfuls of debris. You can choose to collect in the bucket while on the ladder, or just drop it directly on the ground to clean up later. If you choose the bucket method, be sure to hang it from the ladder so that one hand can be free at all times to hold on to the ladder.
Once all debris is clear, use your hose or a bucket full of water to run water through the gutters. A hose is ideal, as it can be used to destroy spider webs and peel debris that the bucket of water just can’t knock loose. During this process, look to see that the water is flowing uninhibited from the downspout. If not, it’s a sign you should take the downspout off in order to remedy this problem.
After the gutters are flowing freely, you can use the hose to rinse the debris that has fallen onto your driveway, deck, or patio. If you’ve just dumped the debris directly onto the ground, grab the wheelbarrow and clean up any small piles of leaves.
If You Spot A Leak
Use a grease pencil to mark areas that are leaking while you are hosing the gutters out. Chances are you won’t be able to tell where they are when the water dries! Apply gutter sealant to these areas, scraping away the old caulking before applying the new. Don’t forget the insides of the joints!
Cleaning your gutters is an important part of enjoying your new home. The Colorado moving company helped move you in, and it’s up to you to keep things in order to truly enjoy your time spent at home sweet home. If you haven’t moved yet, call Exodus, your Colorado moving company, for a free moving quote, or ask us on Facebook about a free moving quote!
After every move Exodus Moving & Storage completes, we will request your input about your moving experience with us. Continuous improvement is the hallmark of our success as a company and we are always anxious to get your feedback on how well we did our moving job.
Competitive and Accurate Estimates
The Cost of relocation is either based on weight or number of men and trucks needed as well as distance traveling. At no charge to you, one of our experienced and courteous Move Coordinators will review their move in great detail and provide you with an accurate move quote. Our Move Coordinator will also confirm requested pick-up and delivery dates.
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