Although it’s no homeowner’s idea of a fun time, cleaning your gutters is so beneficial towards preventing issues to your property! Clogged gutters full of leaves and clutter will fill up with water every time it rains, and most likely run over the side of the gutter. Once this water runs onto your home, you are open to mold, mildew, foundation damage, fascia rot, interior damage, and even flooding. 

If the water doesn’t overflow but isn’t properly diverted, this excess standing water can weigh the gutters down, causing them to then bow and separate from the structure. When the chilly winter months hit freezing temperatures, excess standing water can become an ice dam at the edge of the roof, preventing melting snow from running off. This can create leaks in the home that can potentially and fundamentally damage your ceilings, walls, insulation, and areas where moisture is easily trapped. 

By neglecting to clean your gutters, they will stain, streak, age faster, look unattractive, and ultimately take away from your property’s curb appeal. To avoid this unsavory predicament, here are four valuable tips for how to clean your gutters the right way:

• Gather Tools & Ladders – First, it’s time to gather the gear you will need to clean your gutters! We recommend gloves, eye protection, a bucket, a gutter scoop, a plumbing snake, a cleaning garden hose attachment, and a sturdy ladder. You may also need a screwdriver handy if you notice any brackets that are loose and need to be tightened.We recommend a sturdy extension ladder with skid-resistant coating and non-skid feet that is tall enough to go past the height of your gutters. If you don’t have someone to hold the ladder base, you can use ladder stabilizers that will grip the house and increase safety. Aluminum and fiberglass are excellent ladder materials to shop for!
  

  Ladder Tip: If you have a two-story home or super steep roofs that you will need to walk on to access gutters, climbing a ladder can be too risky for the average homeowner. If you have doubts about your balance, flexibility, or strength to do the job, call Drain Right Guttering! It’s time to call the pro’s if you look up and your gutter system is this complex and high up:

  
  

• Scoop Up Debris – You can use either your gloved hand or a gutter scoop to begin removing compacted organic material like sticks, leaves, acorns, pinecones, and snow from your gutters. If you come across a stubborn clog or any area that is difficult to access, here is where your plumbing snake and garden hose come into play. First, use the plumbing snake to break up the clog. Next, dislodge the remaining material with the garden hose. Scoop and work to remove clutter until your gutter system is clean and free of all debris so that water can move through the downspouts effectively.
  
• Use Power Blower Or Hose To Clean Your Gutters – You can also use a power blower or high-power hose with cleaning attachments to clear your gutter systems. We recommend a cordless power blower to eliminate any hazards that tangled cords can create. Begin by cleaning near the downspouts and flush your downspouts with water from the hose. If you feel that these steps are too complicated or tricky, it may be time to leave this chore to the experts!
• How To Clean Up Debris On Gutters – Just because you have cleaned your gutters, doesn’t mean the job is done. You do not want to scoop out debris and leave any of it on the roof. We suggest either placing the scooped-up debris into a bucket, emptying the buckets towards the ground, or dropping the debris directly to the ground. If you are using a blower or hose, the debris will definitely hit the ground.You may decide to lay out a tarp or sheet beforehand so that you can drop and clean up the gutter debris more efficiently. You can also rake up the debris and bag it up the old-fashioned way. Either way, this matter needs to be thoroughly cleaned up so that wind and inclement weather doesn’t push it against the house or even back into your gutters.

Now that you have these easy gutter care steps to follow, consider doing this routine once in the spring and once in the fall. Since homes surrounded by heavier foliage can have gutters clogged quicker and more frequently, you may need additional cleanings and we can help! Make sure to call Drain Right Guttering to install high-quality gutter guards that can keep most of the dirt, leaves, and clutter out of your system.