What Every Homeowner Needs to Know About Cleaning Their Gutters
If you haven’t cleaned your gutters in a few years, or if you notice water overflowing the side of them, it’s time to have them cleaned by a professional or do it yourself. But before you call a professional or grab the ladder, it’s helpful to know what to look for and how gutter cleaning works.
Here’s what every homeowner needs to know about cleaning their gutters.
Do My Gutters Need Cleaning? Here’s How to Tell
Here’s an easy way to tell if your gutters need to be cleaned: Can you remember the last time you cleaned them? If you can’t remember or it’s been more than a year, it’s time for a cleaning. But there are other signs that your gutters need some attention outside of regular cleanings.
For example, watch out for water coming over the side of your gutters or only a small amount of water coming out your downspouts, signs that something is preventing water from moving along the gutter.
Standing water near your home’s foundation is another sign that your gutters need to be cleaned; a well-functioning gutter system is designed to funnel water away from your house, but when it’s clogged, the ground around your house absorbs more water, which can put pressure and stress on your foundation, causing cracks.
What Tools Do I Need and How Do I Clean My Gutters?
Cleaning your gutters might feel intimidating at first, but luckily it’s easier than you might think, and you only need a few basic tools to get the job done. The most obvious thing you’ll need is a ladder. We recommend an extension ladder like this 14FT-28FT Werner Aluminum ladder to ensure you can reach the roofline without a problem.
For two-story homes or a home with a steep roof, it’s a good idea to pair your extension ladder with a ladder stabilizer. A ladder stabilizer mounts directly to your extension ladder and keeps the ladder from leaning on the gutters, preventing damage, giving you more freedom of movement and, most importantly, keeping the ladder steady.
Once you’re on the ladder, you’ll need a bucket or a heavy-duty trash bag to hold the debris. You can scoop the debris out of the gutter by hand, but it’s much easier and safer to use a gutter scoop. Gutter scoops are made of flexible plastic that’s designed to conform to the diameter of your gutters. With your gutter scoop, scoop from one side to the other, work around the gutter straps and drop the debris in your bucket or trash bag. Move your ladder along the gutter until it’s completely clean. Don’t forget to check the wire strainers at the top of your downspout. These strainers can get clogged with debris and prevent water from flowing down the downspout as well.
When the gutter and strainers are clean, take your hose and spray water in the gutter to flush the entire gutter system. If you’ve removed all the debris, the water should flow easily along the gutter and through your downspout. While the water’s moving along the gutter, it’s also important to pay careful attention to any leaks. If you notice the gutter leaking water, inspect the area for cracks. You can repair small gutter cracks with a rubber sealant.
When Should I Clean the Gutters?
Generally, you should clean your gutters at least twice a year, once in the spring and once in the fall.
Why you should clean your gutters in the fall is obvious: When leaves fall, they can get stuck in your gutters and cause clogs. But why you need to clean in the spring might not be so obvious.
In the spring, birds and other animals are looking for places to nest, and they love clogged gutters. Their nests make it even more difficult for water to pass along your gutter and down your downspout, making standing water a concern and adding more weight to your gutter that can cause sagging.
Additionally, seeds can find their way into your gutters in the fall, and in the spring, those seeds will begin to germinate. It doesn’t take long before an entire root system takes hold in your gutters.
It’s important to remember that even if your gutters have guards over them, it’s still a good idea to have them cleaned twice a year. A lot of debris, including seeds and granules from asphalt shingles, can slip through a guard and get stuck in your gutter or downspout.
While cleaning your gutters is a relatively simple DIY home improvement project, it’s not for everyone. If you’re feeling nervous about climbing up a ladder and cleaning your gutters, don’t hesitate to call a professional
Have questions or need advice on choosing the right tools for cleaning your gutters? Your local Hardware Hank can help. Find a Hardware Hank near you.
If you haven’t cleaned your gutters in a few years, or if you notice water overflowing the side of them, it’s time to have them cleaned by a professional or do it yourself. But before you call a professional or grab the ladder, it’s helpful to know what to look for and how gutter cleaning works.
Here’s what every homeowner needs to know about cleaning their gutters.
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Do My Gutters Need Cleaning? Here’s How to Tell
Here’s an easy way to tell if your gutters need to be cleaned: Can you remember the last time you cleaned them? If you can’t remember or it’s been more than a year, it’s time for a cleaning. But there are other signs that your gutters need some attention outside of regular cleanings.
For example, watch out for water coming over the side of your gutters or only a small amount of water coming out your downspouts, signs that something is preventing water from moving along the gutter.
Standing water near your home’s foundation is another sign that your gutters need to be cleaned; a well-functioning gutter system is designed to funnel water away from your house, but when it’s clogged, the ground around your house absorbs more water, which can put pressure and stress on your foundation, causing cracks.
What Tools Do I Need and How Do I Clean My Gutters?
Cleaning your gutters might feel intimidating at first, but luckily it’s easier than you might think, and you only need a few basic tools to get the job done. The most obvious thing you’ll need is a ladder. We recommend an extension ladder like this 14FT-28FT Werner Aluminum ladder to ensure you can reach the roofline without a problem.
For two-story homes or a home with a steep roof, it’s a good idea to pair your extension ladder with a ladder stabilizer. A ladder stabilizer mounts directly to your extension ladder and keeps the ladder from leaning on the gutters, preventing damage, giving you more freedom of movement and, most importantly, keeping the ladder steady.
Once you’re on the ladder, you’ll need a bucket or a heavy-duty trash bag to hold the debris. You can scoop the debris out of the gutter by hand, but it’s much easier and safer to use a gutter scoop. Gutter scoops are made of flexible plastic that’s designed to conform to the diameter of your gutters. With your gutter scoop, scoop from one side to the other, work around the gutter straps and drop the debris in your bucket or trash bag. Move your ladder along the gutter until it’s completely clean. Don’t forget to check the wire strainers at the top of your downspout. These strainers can get clogged with debris and prevent water from flowing down the downspout as well.
When the gutter and strainers are clean, take your hose and spray water in the gutter to flush the entire gutter system. If you’ve removed all the debris, the water should flow easily along the gutter and through your downspout. While the water’s moving along the gutter, it’s also important to pay careful attention to any leaks. If you notice the gutter leaking water, inspect the area for cracks. You can repair small gutter cracks with a rubber sealant.
When Should I Clean the Gutters?
Generally, you should clean your gutters at least twice a year, once in the spring and once in the fall.
Why you should clean your gutters in the fall is obvious: When leaves fall, they can get stuck in your gutters and cause clogs. But why you need to clean in the spring might not be so obvious.
In the spring, birds and other animals are looking for places to nest, and they love clogged gutters. Their nests make it even more difficult for water to pass along your gutter and down your downspout, making standing water a concern and adding more weight to your gutter that can cause sagging.
Additionally, seeds can find their way into your gutters in the fall, and in the spring, those seeds will begin to germinate. It doesn’t take long before an entire root system takes hold in your gutters.
It’s important to remember that even if your gutters have guards over them, it’s still a good idea to have them cleaned twice a year. A lot of debris, including seeds and granules from asphalt shingles, can slip through a guard and get stuck in your gutter or downspout.
While cleaning your gutters is a relatively simple DIY home improvement project, it’s not for everyone. If you’re feeling nervous about climbing up a ladder and cleaning your gutters, don’t hesitate to call a professional
Have questions or need advice on choosing the right tools for cleaning your gutters? Your local Hardware Hank can help. Find a Hardware Hank near you.
