All You Need To Know About Gutter Cleaning

Roof gutters are an integral part of your house and you need to take proper care of those gutters. It appears to be a very difficult and cumbersome task to clean gutters and look for the right protection for your roof gutters. As seasons change gutters can quickly clog. With rain, wind, and birds building nests and scattering debris around, it is not surprising that gutters get clogged. But do you know how to clean those clogged gutters? If not, we here at the GutterBrush Guys. Ltd. have prepared this list of gutter cleaning tips. The GutterBrush Guys, Ltd. always put safety first and encourages you to please read the following gutter cleaning tips thoroughly before starting that climb up the ladder to your roof.
First, let's look at gutter cleaning equipment safety. Make sure your ladder is securely in place: the footings should be placed firmly on the ground and the ladder frame must be free of bent areas. When possible, get someone to help you at ground level to both secure the ladder and in case you need help.
Second, check for clothing safety before heading up the ladder to clean the gutters. Make sure you have no loose clothing that could get caught on the ladder or the roofline. Also, check your footwear and opt for sturdy foot wear with laces that are tied firmly and tucked away so you won't trip or get them caught in the ladder.
Third, the following tools might be used to clean your gutters: an extension ladder, work gloves, narrow garden trowel or hand spade, trash bags or bucket and s-hook, plumber's snake, and a garden hose of the correct length with a sprayer attachment.
Here is the process The GutterBrush Guys, Ltd. recommend for cleaning your gutters.
First, collect the tools in the area near where you will start cleaning your gutters. The corners of your house are a good starting location because this is where the downspouts are usually located. When cleaning your gutters it is best to begin near the downspouts and work away from it to avoid pushing additional debris into the gutter downspout.

Second, place the extension ladder on a level place and attach the bucket to the ladder with the s-hook for collecting the debris. If you are not using a bucket simply secure a plastic trash bag on the ladder to collect the debris. This set up minimizes clean up after you are done cleaning the gutters. The GutterBrush Guys, Ltd. also recommends you use work gloves to protect your hands from any sharp objects in the gutters and downspouts. Using gloves will also enable you to keep your hands clean while cleaning the gutters.

Third, when you begin at the downspout use the garden trowel or hand spade to scoop out the debris and place it into the bucket or trash bag. Any pieces that cannot be removed from the gutter with the shovel can be carefully removed by hand. If you are planning of disposing of the gutter debris into a compost pile, then you need to have a different bag or bucket for metal objects such as roofing nails.

Finally, once you have removed all of the larger debris from the gutter channel, get the garden hose and rinse the gutter channel in the direction of the downspout using a spraying attachment on the hose. We suggest you spray the gutter channel until no signs of debris remain. If the downspout is clogged with debris and sludge you will need to clean it out. The easiest way to clean out the gutter's downspout is to start by directly spraying water into the downspout from the bottom end. This method usually forces any clogs in the gutter downspout loose. If this does not work you can direct the water from the hose into the downspout from the upper end to unclog the gutter downspout. Finally, if that does not clear the gutter downspout, then the GutterBrush Guys, Ltd. suggest you use a plumber's snake in the downspout to loosen and draw the debris out of the gutter downspout.

Clean gutters protect more than just the roof line, they contribute to the beauty of your property and the value of a very important investment. We hope these tips have helped and please remember to put safety first when cleaning your gutters.

You need gutter protection to help protect your home. But clogged gutters and gutter cleaning frequently top the list of homeowner headaches which is probably why you are doing some homework on gutter guard options! The GutterBrush - Simple Gutter Guard should eliminate or greatly reduce the need for future gutter cleaning, but before you install GutterBrush and start protecting your gutters, it is important to start with clean gutters, so here are some tips we have picked up along the way.

Depending upon the type of foliage, many gutter systems need to be cleaned 3-4 times a year. This may sound excessive, but each season trees go through various cycles that can clog your gutters. In spring, most trees drop seedlings and dead twigs. Spring is also a great time to inspect your gutters for any damages that may have occurred during the winter snow. In summer, trees drop leaves from heavy storms and high winds. At the end of fall or early winter, you want to make sure everything has been properly cleared from the gutter system to help prevent ice dams or buildup of ice in your gutters. The extra weight of frozen water in your gutters can easily cause them to pull away from the fascia and in many cases, fall off the house. Improper gutter maintenance will lead to clogged or damaged gutters and can cause thousands of dollars in damage to your homes foundation, exterior trim and basements.

Important! In the U.S. over 500,000 people are treated for ladder related injuries each year! Safety is a very important component to consider when working from a ladder or on the roof. When using ladders, make sure you stay away from power lines, trees and windows. You may find that over time, the spikes that hold the gutters to the fascia board have loosened. Either drive the loose spikes back into place, or replace them with longer ones for improved support. When gutters are loose, the pitch is changed and the water will overflow at low areas.

Regularly check whether the downspouts are clogged or not. You can use water to unclog your downspouts by placing the garden hose in the opening. But be very gentle, as downspouts are not designed for withstanding the same pressure as that of a house drain. If a plugged downspout cannot be cleared with a hose then make use of a small plumber's snake or even an unbent clothes hanger.

Most ladder / gutter cleaning accidents happen for two reasons. The first is when people set a ladder that can slide along the gutter. The feet of the ladder must be set level. If the ladder is at a slight left or right angle as you climb it, it can quickly slide. It's a good idea to use a ladder stabilizer to make sure the ladder doesn't crush your gutters or slip while your doing the cleaning. Check out LadderMax in our recommended products section.

Overreaching is the second problem. Don't lean your body out beyond the ladder. This upsets the balance of you and the ladder. If you insist on reaching further down the gutter to clean, make a push stick. This is just a broom handle with a little block on the end. The block acts like a ram to push leaves and debris farther down the gutter. You can then move the ladder to get this debris or push it even farther.

Be safe and take your time when cleaning your gutter and installing your gutter protection!