How to Clean Gutters

The fall has come and gone here in Wisconsin. The leaves have all changed color and have fallen and it seems they have all fallen into your gutter system right? This is the way I felt for years. I hated cleaning up leaves in the yard, but then add the gutters to that. It is a dangerous and messy job. Some people avoid gutter cleaning for extended periods of time. To not clean your gutters is just asking for your home to have problems from water damage and more. People need to know how to clean their gutters, I know it sounds simple, but there are some things that go along with cleaning your gutters you should know.

First off, lets get some work clothes on and start from there. There is no sense in having good shoes or shirts, pants that you don't want to get dirty on when cleaning gutters. A good pair of gloves is also a nice accessory to have unless you really want to get your hands dirty. If you have not cleaned your gutters for a long time you are going to want gloves and rubber ones at that. The build up of decaying debris can really be a nasty mess you don't want to stick your hands in. Some people even wear a good rubber boot to keep their feet from getting wet and dirty. Now, the above gets you set up with what to wear, no matter how you clean the gutters out. If you use the yard blower method, then adding a old hat is a great add on to your work clothes.

Now, lets look at what methods are available to you. If you have a yard blower this can be the fastest and easiest way to get your gutters clean. Grab yourself a good step ladder if you have first story home with gutters that can be reached from a step ladder. If you have a two story or more you will have to drag out or rent a good extension ladder. If you have not cleaned gutters before you can already see why people do not like to do it. There are gas blowers or more common are the electric types of blowers. Please, keep in mind electric cords can become tripping hazards. We must not forget also that gutters that are plugged can hold water in them as well and could present a electrical shock hazard as well. These are some things that people just don't think about when they start off to clean their gutters. The blower method is still by far the quickest and easiest method.

When using the blower method you should also protect your eyes from flying debris by using safety glasses. When you have really dirty gutters you still might have to get your hands dirty to get heavy branches and such out of the gutter system that might get stuck under gutter ties. If you have a roof with a low pitch and no fear of heights, some people get on the roof and blow out the gutter from above. When doing gutter cleaning this way you need to exercise extreme caution as to not trip over cords or slip on wet roofs. This is why most people do not get off the ladder as ladders and height are dangerous enough. The best blower method is to find a attachment kit which is made to go on your blower to clean gutters. These kits can be found at the big box hard ware stores and online. Depending on the height of your house you may not even need a ladder to clean out your gutter system. You can blow out your downspouts with these kits also.

If you don't have a blower, well then its back to the old fashioned way, that right getting your hands dirty. Grab a garbage bag so you don't have to do double clean up of debris off the ground. Some people prefer to just throw the gutter debris on the ground as they don't want to hold onto or do to many things while on a ladder. Once you have the main debris out you get the hose out and flush the gutter system out. You will also find out if your downspouts are really plugged or not if you find the water is not draining out. When see water standing in a gutter either you downspouts are plugged or your gutters when installed were pitched the wrong way. If your downspouts are plugged you can push the hose in slightly using the hose and water pressure to clear the downspout. Be Careful as to not force the hose in to much doing damage to your gutters or getting the hose stuck.

There are a whole bunch of gutter cleaning machines and tools out there. If you like to try new things and don't mind wasting time and money go ahead try some of them out. I think the ones the guys all like are the remote control gutter cleaning machines. What guy wouldn't want a remote controlled motorized gutter cleaning machine. In the end you will still need a ladder and get your hands dirty to really clean your gutters right. The only tool that really works well and is still messy is the blower attachment kits for cleaning gutters.

When it really comes down to how to clean your gutters there is no clean way to do it. You want to find the safest and easiest way for you and your budget. Alot of people just hire someone in spring and fall. The cost can range from $75.00 - $150.00 per cleaning depending on the size of your house. If your really tired of figuring out how to clean your gutters you can install a foam insert which fills the gutter from the front to the back which will not plug or freeze. Just don't buy the cheap ones found at big box hardware stores. They carry 5 year warranties as they break apart from the elements and sun damage. A foam insert system which comes with a 25 year no clog warranty is the Gutter Care II system. This system will not let debris in your gutter as there is no opening in the front of your gutter like the gutter guard type lid or cover type systems. Also, I have heard of wasps making nests on the under side of the lid inside the gutters. I don't know about you, but I don't care to encourage wasps to hang out around my house.

There you have it, from start to finish how to clean your gutters and depending on your budget how to not clean your gutters again.