Don’t Drop the Ball!

Kris introduced the Yoga Ball this morning during my workout. I hopped off the treadmill feeling great and headed right over to the machines ready to work out my legs! Until I was intercepted ………….by bubbly, bright Kris smiling ear to ear “Ready?!” and she tossed (more like threw) a 24″+ ball right at my chest.

First off how could anyone be so happy at 6:15 am?

Secondly what the heck was I going to do with an over sized kick ball?

……….I should know better than to ask such questions.

Kris laid out a mat and smiled “on your back!” She continued with her list of instructions, “grab the ball with your legs, lift up your tush, squeeze your stomach and lift, lift, lift ………..15 times!” Rest (thank God!) then I heard “Again”. As I struggled to balance myself, blink the sweat out of my eyes and just try to get through the next set, I realized that ‘dropping the ball’ is something we should not to do with our own homes!

Keep that ball up there……..let’s start with an easy ball!

Gutters! I know cleaning the gutters can be worse than an ab workout on the ball!

Keeping your gutters and down spouts clean will protect your home from many potentially debilitating problems. Gutters keep water directed away from your foundation, preventing basements from flooding. When gutters are filled with debris they become heavy and can pull away from the fascia creating a headache to fix! Here in Connecticut during the winter months, if your gutters can’t drain you will be a victim to ice dams and gutters really ripping off the fascia! I guess gutters are pretty important! So what is the best way to maintain them?

• Hire a professional if you aren’t comfortable or stable on a ladder or roof. Saftey First!
• Gutters should be cleaned twice a year. Spring & Fall
• You can access the gutter from the roof if the pitch isn’t too steep or from a ladder. If you use a ladder that leans against the gutter make sure you protect the gutter with a short (18″-24″) 2X4 scrap piece of lumber inside the gutter. This will prevent the gutter from crushing. You can also simply use a ladder standoff.
• Arm yourself with heavy work gloves. The edges of the gutters can be very sharp not to mention its an ugly, messy job! I don’t like to mess up my nails!
• Scoop out loose debris working away from the down spout drop into a bucket hanging on your ladder. I use a garden trowel for the scooping!
• Spray out the gutter with a high pressure nozzle on then end of garden hose working your way back toward the down spout. If you thought the step above was messy……well this one is worse. Protect your eyes, gunk is going to fly everywhere! Try not to get it all over your house! You’ll be making more work for yourself.
• If you have gutter slime caked in the bottom of the gutter you may need to use a scrub brush to work it clean then rinse again.
• If all goes well, the water will run freely down the down spout!
• If the water is bubbling up at the end of the gutter downspout and not freely flowing, try spraying the hose directly down the down spout to work free the clog. If you day just isn’t going your way and its still backed up…. use a plumbers auger (snake) to work the clog free!

There ya be! Clean gutters! Keep up the great work, we’ll be moving into more serious work out soon!