When considering maintenance tasks around the house, taking care of your gutters is probably low on the list of priorities. However, as this article will explain, taking an hour to clean your gutters can potentially save you a lot of money and hassle in the future. In this article we’ll discuss the benefits of cleaning your gutters and how to properly maintain them.
Before we discuss gutter maintenance, let’s briefly talk about why regular maintenance is necessary. Without maintenance leaves and debris can accumulate in the gutter. This can lead to drainage issues and becoming a fire hazard. Additionally, pooling water can rust metal gutters and rot wooden ones. Eventually, uncleaned gutters may pull loose and may be expensive to replace. Therefore, regular maintenance and cleaning of your gutters is essential.
Before the downspout cleaning process is explained I just want to provide a few tips so that you are always safe. Before you begin make sure you have eye protection and thick gloves, as many gutters have screws sticking into the trough. You should also keep an eye on the weather conditions and make sure you are always safe. If you don’t feel comfortable standing on a ladder, you should get someone else to clean your gutters for you. It is also advisable to strongly consider hiring a professional if your building is more than one story high.
To clean gutters, you stand on a ladder and reach your hand inside the trough. Pull out any loose debris, a garden trough works well for this. It can be easiest to do this when the gutters are damp, as some of the debris may be encrusted. To minimize the clean-up, you can put the debris into a bucket. Once you have scooped out as much of the debris as you can, use a high-pressure hose to spray the gutter. This process can be quite messy, so be prepared to get wet and muddy. Finally, if the water isn’t draining freely, try using a plumber’s auger to free any debris stuck inside the drainage pipes. It should be noted that you may see some handymen using a leaf blower to blow debris from the gutter. The reason we don’t advocate this approach is that it can be very messy and potentially dangerous.
After completing these steps, your gutter should be clean, and the water should be draining freely. You should clean your gutters at least twice a year. However, if your property is near a tree, you might to clean your gutters more often. If you do this regularly, the maintenance process will take less time and effort.
So, there you have it a complete guide to cleaning your roof gutters. This article has discussed the importance of regularly cleaning your gutters. The process of cleaning your gutters and how often you should do this was also explained. Now, the next time you get a storm you can relax knowing that your roof draining system can handle the downpour.
