How To Find Lost Items On The Roof

One thing that will almost certainly put an end to backyard sports and games is when someone throws or kicks the ball on the roof.
It doesn’t matter how hard you try to avoid getting things stuck up there, sometimes it feels like there’s a magnetic force drawing tennis balls, Frisbees and other toys and equipment to the top of your house.
But before you start throwing more balls, toys, cricket bats or even shoes up there to try and knock things down, let us assure you that this is not the solution and only leads to more disappointment as these items in turn end up getting stuck on the roof too.
The trouble is that the gutters, which are designed to catch water running off the roof, are equally good at catching anything that manages to find its way onto the roof. This not only causes distress to the owner of the lost item, but can also cause blockages when it rains, leading to gutters overflowing in inconvenient locations.
Getting things down from the roof is easy if you have a large ladder, but if you only have a small A-frame step ladder to reach the gutter, it can be a hassle climbing up and down and then reaching around blindly in the damp gutter.
To help locate lost items, you can create a reflective device to help you find what’s stuck up there and locate where it is so you can safely remove it.
All you need to do is attach a small mirror to the end of a broom handle, titlted at just the right angle to show what is hidden in the gutter. Depending on your mirror, you can attach it with screws, adhesive or ever-versatile duct tape.
You can then lift the mirror above the gutter and look at the reflection to find where the item is hiding, and reach it easily on the first try.
Take a look inside the latest issue of Handyman for more DIY tips and ideas.
