How are the gutters looking on your home? Do your gutters do what they're meant to do, or do they leak and allow the water to flow directly down the side of your home into the ground around your foundation? Here, you'll find a few things that can help you get your gutters ready for all the storms coming this summer:

Assess your Safety

Before you go dragging out the ladder and making your way up to the roof to work on your gutters, stop and think about your personal safety. Are you completely capable of doing what needs to be done? Do you have problems with balance? Do you deal with heights well? Are you taking any medications that could cause you to become dizzy or pass out?

If you have any health issues that could increase the risk of accidents, don't try doing the work yourself. Contact a gutter cleaning service near you to assist with the project.

Test the Gutters

If you aren't sure if your gutters are holding water as they should, or if the downspouts aren't draining properly, you'll need to get up on the roof with your hose and test the gutters.

Place the nozzle of the hose in the end of the gutter furthest from the downspout. Turn the water on and let it flow. Watch what the water does – do you see anything dripping from underneath? Is the water flowing freely down the downspouts? If you see leaks, use a wax pen to mark the location so you can make the repair later.

If the water isn't flowing freely down the downspouts, you'll need to clear the debris out of the bottom – where the downspout drains into the lawn. Another area to check is the elbow at the base of the house – sometimes this can get clogged with debris.

Make Repairs

Now, you'll return to repair any leaks that you've found. Sometimes, these small leaks can be repaired with nothing more than a coat of gutter repair product. Some of these products go on with a brush and others are sprayed on – take your time to research the available products to find the one that'll work to fix the gutters on your home.

If you aren't sure that you'll safely be able to get this task done on your own, don't hesitate to call in the professionals. They'll help you clean the gutters and find any problems to repair before your home becomes damaged by the water leaking from the gutters.