How often do you clean your gutters?
If you’re anything like most homeowners, you probably don’t give your gutters much thought until they’re visibly clogged with leaves and twigs. Well, we can’t really blame you, but failing to clean your gutters has consequences.
Dirty gutters not only contribute to the rusting of the entire system but also add toxins to water, which can be dangerous if you harvest the water and use it for domestic consumption.
Clearly, gutter cleaning is an important part of a safe and healthy home. And if yours are due for a cleaning, you might be wondering how to do it.
We’ve got you!
Continue reading for handy gutter cleaning tips.
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Know When to Clean Your Gutters
Let’s face it: gutters shouldn’t be cleaned daily or even weekly. It takes a considerable amount of time for debris to build up in the gutters, so you want to get up there when the dirt is filling up.
Home maintenance experts recommend cleaning up the gutters twice: once during spring and once in the fall.
However, if you’ve got trees that shed leaves all-year-long near your house, there’s a good chance your gutters will fill up often. In this case, you’ll have to adopt a “clean-as-often-as-needed” strategy.
Get the Right Tools for the Job
If you have a phobia for heights, gutter cleaning is going to be one hell of a job for you. In most cases, cleaning gutters means settling high up on a ladder or perching yourself on the roof. Working at heights carries the risk of falls, which can cause severe injuries or even death.
As such, it’s important to get the right tools for the job.
First, you need a ladder that’s designed for gutter cleaning. The base should be stable. You might also need standoff stabilizers, which prevent the stem of the ladder from leaning on the gutters.
You need a trowel or scoop.
You also need protective gear such as gloves and a hard hat. Gloves prevent hand injuries when you’re picking out the gunk while a hard hat will prevent head injuries, assuming you take a fall.
There are stand-alone equipment and systems that have been designed to make gutter cleaning easier and safer. These will cost you a lot more money, but they’re worth it. Check out your local home maintenance store for more information.
Scoop Out That Dirt
Finally, it’s showtime! Scoop out that dirt.
There’s no special formula required here. Just get that gunk out! It’s something you learn on the job.
That being said, be sure to practice ladder safety. Don’t stretch yourself too far. Always work at arm’s length, then move the ladder.
Alternatively, you can hire a professional company like Ragsdale Roofing and Innovations LLC to do the job. Besides cleaning your gutter, these professionals can conduct repairs where needed. Yes, hiring a pro costs money, but it’s much better than risking your safety.
Gutter Cleaning Made Easy!
Gutter cleaning is one of the grossest and most taxing home cleaning and maintenance chores. But it needs to be done; otherwise, you’ll be putting your safety and structural integrity of the home at risk. With this guide, you’re now in a better position to clean out your gutters like a pro.
Keep reading our blog for more home maintenance tips.
