Cleaning and maintenance of gutters: what are the best ways to do this?
Maintenance of the home, both internally and externally, is of fundamental importance. One thing we don't often deal with is cleaning out the gutters. It goes without saying that ensuring the gutters are working properly and are free of dirt and debris is very important.
So, how best can this chore be done? And can we do it ourselves? Well, let's find out:
Why is cleaning the gutters important?
Many of us tend to forget about the gutters. But gutters do not look after themselves and can become blocked and clogged by all sorts of debris (leaves, twigs and even bird/pigeon waste, for example).
A blocked gutter will fill up, spill over and the resulting "waterfall" could end up causing damage to the structure of the home.
This damage could even extend into the home itself, causing rust to form on metal objects and paint to peel, cracks to develop, the roof to be weakened and over-humidifying the rooms (which, in turn, will cause mold and mildew to develop). Certainly, these are problems you will want to avoid having.
How to clean the gutters without professional assistance
So, how can you clean your gutters without the intervention of a professional?
- Firstly, get a sturdy ladder and climb up to the gutters to inspect them;
- Standing on a stable, sturdy ladder (perhaps braced by someone at the bottom), use a trowel and a bucket to scoop up any debris in the gutters (and wear strong gloves for this chore);
- Once you have finished clearing the gutter, put away your tools and use the hose to rinse out the gutter (using a pressure washer could also be useful for this task);
- At this point, your gutters should be perfectly clean. You can also go one step further and install, for example, gutter filters that will help prevent blockages forming in the future.
Other ways to clean your gutters
If you are leary of getting up a ladder to clean the gutters, you can use a special, telescoping gutter pole to do this job from ground level. This pole can be lengthened as needed and has a curve/hook at the top to get into the gutters.
Aside from this gutter pole, there a a number of other gutter-cleaning tools on the market that you can research. Just get the products that suit your particular needs.
Cleaning frequency
How often you should clean your gutters depends on various factors. For example, do you get a lot of rain in your area? Are there trees near/overhanging the gutters (which could drop their leaves into them)? Do pigeons (or other birds) roost on/near the gutters, with their feathers, down and waste getting into the gutters? If the answer is "yes" to any/all of these questions, the more frequently you should clean out your gutters.
Generally speaking, however, cleaning out the gutters once a year (at the end of autumn) should suffice. And if your really don't want to do it yourself, you can always hire a professional!
