Gutter Cleaning Tips and Tools

Tips and Tools

Have you ever found yourself standing on a ladder over your gutters and wondered, “There has to be a better way to do this?” After decades of homeowners risking life and limb to clean their gutters, many have turned to professionals for the job. Other homeowners have built contraptions to try and get them clean.

No matter how you have tried to clean your gutters in the past, the bottom line, it’s a pain no matter how you slice it. Luckily, we are seeing more ways to do this safely without the task ending with a hospital visit. We are going to take you through some of the best ways to clean your gutters, some tools that can make the job a little easier to tackle, and hiring the job out or investing in guards like K-Guards.

There are do’s and don’ts when it comes to cleaning your gutters and it all starts with a little preparation. Gutter cleaning tends to fall into that category of 1. Wake up on Sunday. 2. Think to yourself, “I think I’ll clean my gutters.” 3. Find oneself on a ladder. Before you start making that climb, let’s plan to ensure you are ready for the job. Here are some expert tips.

This is no job for that wood ladder your dad gave you 25-years ago. Save that for small odd jobs, but invest in a 4-legged steel ladder with some weight. Your ladder should be unique to your home and gutter situation, so do a little homework and check out this article to help you choose the right one.

You’re going to want to rinse out your gutters after you get the debris out of them. You’ll want a hose with a “pistol grip” attachment that you can control the water pressure with. This will eliminate climbing up and down your ladder to turn the water on and off and will allow you to determine pressure settings.

While using your hands, fingers, and maybe a tool like a screwdriver to clean your gutters, you can now use a scooping tool for that job. Not only does this keep you for touching (who knows what) in your gutters, but it is safer too. Eliminate any instance where you can get yourself caught up in your gutter, this includes your hands and limbs.

Your wellbeing isn’t worth a clean gutter, so gather the right protective gear so you aren’t placing yourself in a precarious position. This means to reach for your protective eyewear. Also, get some heavy-duty gloves. Not only will the gloves keep you from handling rotting debris, but chances are vermin, bird, or squirrel droppings are in that mess. Finally, rubber shoes. Not something that will fall off like garden shoes or Crocs, but something that prevents slipping and can be washed off easily after the job is done.

Imagine shooting water down your gutters to clean them out only to find they are blocked at the bottom because of debris in your downspouts. Do yourself a favor and clear those out “before” you start climbing any ladders.

Finally, walk around your home and look for hazards that might make your gutter cleaning job more difficult or dangerous. Things to look for include power lines that might be in contact with your house or gutters. Check the ground area where your ladder is likely to be placed, are their roots or animal tunnels that can collapse making your ladder surface unstable? This is a good time to check on your gutter’s status too. Are they damaged, need to be repaired or replaced?

Hire it Out – After years of doing this job yourself, you might want to consider just having someone come and do it for you. Whether you have a shortage of time or you’re just not willing to put yourself at risk anymore, professionals are more than willing to help.

Leaf Guards – One of the best options for your gutters are leaf guards. guards actually eliminate almost everything you’ve read above. No more risk or getting into a thick mess of debris. No more gearing up and buying tools. You invest in leaf guards once and walk away. K-Guards are a great option for those who want to avoid cleaning their gutters altogether. We handle all of the planning, materials, and installation.

Hopefully, this has given you some insight on cleaning your gutters, and perhaps, avoiding the task altogether. Overall, you’ll want to have all the right tools and prepare for the job before it begins, which will ensure your safety and a successful job well done.