How to Clean Gutters - Essential Gutter Maintenance Guide
Cleaning the gutters may be the most unpleasant of all the household chores on your to-do list, but it's a vital part of home maintenance that you cannot afford to ignore. Blocked gutters and downpipes can leak rainwater into your ceiling, making a wet winter even more miserable.
Thankfully learning how to clean gutters and avoid the winter blues this season is simple. Start cleaning the right way with the help of our essential gutter maintenance guide.
Safety First!
DIY activities can lead to many disasters in Kiwi households, especially when it comes to home maintenance. And while clean gutters are important, safety and precaution are more so! If you're going to tackle those dirty gutters yourself, here are a few safety tips to ensure it's not you that ends up in need of maintenance:
- Avoid working in wet or icy conditions.
- Your ladder is your lifeline; inspect it before use to ensure it is safe.
- Position your ladder on a level surface.
- Never stand on the top rung or reach too far above you.
- Keep three points of contact with the ladder at all times.
How to Clean Your Gutters
Learning how to clean gutters yourself is straightforward. Set your ladder in a secure position, throw on a pair of heavy-duty gloves, and scrape out any leaves, twigs, and debris. For those particularly uncooperative gutters, you may need a scoop or brush to scrub away any stubborn muck. Once the gutters are clear, flush them out with a hose and check to ensure the water is running out of the downpipe as intended.
Make Gutter Cleaning Easier with These Handy Tools
For those who prefer to keep their feet firmly planted on the ground, there are tools available to make gutter cleaning a landbound activity. Consider purchasing an extendable gutter cleaner that attaches to your garden hose, allowing you to blast the debris out of the gutter while never stepping foot on a ladder.
If you've managed to conquer the fear of heights and your roof is flat enough, you can skip clumsy ladders and clean your gutters from the roof. By working on the roof, you open up the opportunity to use equipment like leaf blowers or water blasters, making quick and easier work of any blocked gutters.
Make the job Easier for Next Time
An ounce of gutter clogging prevention will save a tonne on gutter cleaning time. Consider installing gutter guards to reduce how often you have to clean your gutters or keep from doing it all together. These guards allow water to pass through as usual while preventing leaves and twigs from getting in and causing blockages.
Need New Gutters?
Add gutter cleaning to this year's spring clean to-do list. Regular cleaning will extend the life of your guttering system. But if your gutters look like they may need more than a solid clean to save them, give the team European Gutters a ring, and we can help you find a new long-lasting guttering solution.
