High-Up Home Maintenance: Be Safe without a Net

Some home maintenance tasks can make you feel like a trapeze artist. In fact, the truth isn't far off. The ability to clean your own gutters, windows, or trim your trees can significantly reduce your home maintenance costs, but the risks frequently outweigh the rewards. At the very least, know what you're getting yourself into, and don't become one more tragic story, one more homeowner working without a safety net.

Gutter Cleaning: Don't get so focused on the height and ladders that you ignore other potential dangers along the way. Gutters can have sharp, exposed edges, so wear protective gloves. Protective goggles are also a must: You may think you're okay getting a little dirt in your eye, but any distraction is a serious one when you're on a ladder So plan ahead and know what to expect. If you need to place your ladder against your gutters, put a 2x4 or other bracing support in the gutter channel to prevent the gutter from denting and other damage. In the end, you may need to bite the bullet and hire a pro. The average cost of gutter and downspout cleaning is $191, according to HomeAdvisor, leading online resource connecting homeowners to home improvement contractors.

Window Washing: Unless you have a stable base and a place to perch your ladder to minimize reaching out over the sides, you may want to buy an extension pole and stick to the ground. Maybe it's time to replace your windows with easy-to-clean window design and hardware. Again, with complications, you're better off calling in the pros. The average cost for professional window washing services is $245, according to HomeAdvisor. For both amateur and professional window washing, the rules are evolving with new window washing systems. The International Window Cleaning Association (IWCA), in coordination with the American National Standards Institute is set to publish a revised version of the I-14 Standard for window washing in 2009. Among the revisions is a new emphasis on roof anchorage for rope-descending systems.

Tree Trimming: This one's most dangerous of all. First, you can't use a ladder. Mother Nature isn't good at providing flat surfaces, and you're unlikely to reach all the branches you need to cut. You'll need to use a harness and rope to secure yourself to at least two different points on the tree. The potential for falling limbs, flying splinters, and other unpredictable debris is always present. Manual saws and chainsaws have their own unique dangers. And, if you need one more reason to hire a tree trimming professional, consider that they probably also know a lot more about where, when, and how to trim. The average cost of professional tree trimming, according to HomeAdvisor, is $377, although single trees under 30-ft. high may be trimmed for $100 or less. Several, taller trees near power lines can cost more than $1,000.

Street-Level, High-Risk, and Illegal Home Maintenance
High-up home maintenance may include the more obviously dangerous projects, but they are far from the most dangerous. Some home maintenance projects are so risky that nobody other than a licensed contractor should handle them even under the best circumstances. Most of the projects surround electrical and plumbing work, where undertaking these tasks without proper licensing is against building codes. Serious injury or home flooding can be immediate dangers when you tinker with electrical wiring or plumbing lines.