Sometimes you have to get your trowel in the gutter to protect your home
Sitting on your porch to enjoy a summer shower isn't so sweet when your gutters clog and overflow into your garden beds. Fortunately, cleaning clogged gutters is a relatively easy project for DIYers. Follow this guide to have your gutters cleaned like a pro.
Before you climb on your ladder with your gutter scoop in hand, there are a few things you'll want to keep in mind. The below instructions work for most types of gutters that don’t have any special features (like gutter guards).
The last thing you want when you go up to clean your gutters is a wet wad of debris that takes ages to clean out. As such, you’ll want to avoid cleaning your gutters out immediately after it rains. Wait a few days after a rain shower so that the debris has time to dry before you head up on your ladder to clean your gutters out.
If there is snow or ice, then you'll want to wait for it to thaw. Alternatively, you can melt ice in gutters and wait for your gutters to dry before cleaning them.
Ladder safety is an important part of cleaning gutters. Though you might be tempted to use any old ladder in your garage or shed, you'll want to use an extension ladder to safely reach your gutters. Another option is to use a ladder stabilizer for extra support. You should also have a spotter at the base of the ladder to hold it steady as you clean.
Whenever possible, keep your ladder on firm, level ground. Avoid climbing above the second highest step on your ladder, and don't overreach to get to tricky parts of your gutter.
With your gloves and safety glasses on, your ladder safely in place, and a spotter on hand, start to remove debris from the gutter. Larger debris like sticks and leaves can be removed by hand, while any decaying matter is best removed using your gutter scoop or trowel. As you clear out the gutters, place the debris in a bucket for easy cleanup.
Once you've cleaned the gutters, you'll want to inspect the downspouts and ensure there aren't any blockages. The best way to clean clogged downspouts is by spraying a garden hose with a spray nozzle on a strong setting down the downspout. Have your spotter check the bottom of the downspout to see if water comes out at a normal pace. Underground downspout extensions may need a professional to clear out the blockage.
If water isn't coming out at a normal flow rate, then you'll want to clear the blockage. Push a garden hose into the bottom of the downspout and feed it up to the top. When you feel the hose meet resistance, turn the hose on to push through the blockage. If this doesn't work, then you can try threading a plumbing snake down the downspout.
After you've cleared all blockages in your gutters and downspout, you'll want to get the hose out again and flush the gutter system out. Spray your hose nozzle downstream to remove any remaining debris.
With a hawk’s eye, look for standing water to ensure that you got all debris out and that there's no slope issue. If the debris is fully cleared, but your gutters still have standing water, then your gutter system does not have a proper slope. Adjusting your gutters for a proper slope is a trickier job that is better left to a pro.
If you do decide to tackle it yourself, then you'll need to ensure that the gutters have a slope of 1/4 inch per every 10 feet. Remove the hangers using a power drill, and adjust your gutters until they slope correctly. Then, reinstall the hangers and gutter system.
Before you call it a day, check your gutters for signs that they need repairing or replacing. You'll need to fix sagging gutters, repair gutter leaks, and replace any gutters that are in poor condition and beyond repair. The average gutter replacement cost is somewhere between $4 and $30 per linear foot.
Preventing water damage from gutters starts with a good maintenance plan. Generally, you should clean your gutters at least twice a year. If you have more trees above your house—especially pine trees—then you may need to clear out debris three or four times a year. Stay on top of inspecting your gutters and the surrounding areas for signs of water damage to spot a leak as soon as it happens.
Cleaning out your gutters is not a complicated project. However, if you don't have a spotter for when you are on the ladder, this can pose a safety hazard. You'll also be up on the ladder for around an hour or two, depending on how much debris is in your gutters and the length of the gutters. If you have any fears about standing on a ladder while doing manual labor, then you might want to work with gutter cleaners near you.
Likewise, some gutter cleaning projects may turn out to be a bigger problem than simply scooping out gunk. For example, if your gutter slope is causing water to spill over the sides of your gutters, then simply clearing out debris will not fix the problem. Realigning gutters is best left to the pros, who have the experience to safely climb onto your roof and manually reset your gutter system.
Not to mention, if you don't know what you're doing, then you could void your warranty or damage the siding or roof of your home.
While you can clean your gutters without geting on a ladder, you won't know just how well you're cleaning them without the use of a telescopic water pole. Some ways to clean gutters from the ground include using telescopic cleaning tools and a leaf blower extension, wet/dry vacuum extension, pressure washer, or garden hose with a curved end.
Spring and fall tend to be the best times of the year to clean gutters. Fall is when all of the leaves drop into your gutters, so you'll want to clear that out to prevent clogs from becoming worse. Once spring comes, you'll also want to make sure that your gutters are clear of debris for in preparation for rainfall.
Clean your gutters at least twice a year if you don't have any trees near your home. If you have many large trees or pine trees, then you'll want to clean your gutters every three to four months.
