Many come owners consider gutter cleaning one of the less appealing tasks to take on. There are various reasons for this. Because gutters may not be cleaned regularly, they can quickly become dirty and smelly due to wet debris and other harmful particles.
Once you’ve cleaned your gutters, it’s unlikely anybody will even know anyway.But don’t get disappointed about this as it actually helps to maintain your home overall and can even see you get a better price if you intend to sell your home.
You’d be surprised to learn how important it is to clean your gutters. Let’s check it out.
Importance of Cleaning your Gutters
- Can extend the life of your roof as well as your gutter
- Prevents water overflowing from gutters
- Stops mosquitoes and mice breeding in gutters
- Unblocks your gutter
- Can help protect your home during a bush fire
Now, you know what you will gain through cleaning your gutters. But to get the best results, you should be cleaning your gutters frequently.
How Frequently and When Should Gutters be Cleaned?
Generally, gutters should be cleaned two times a year. Once in the early summer to take out dried leaves and another before winter comes. If you are surrounded by tall trees, you should make a habit of cleaning it at least three to four times a year, particularly in autumn as trees shed leaves and they fall onto roofs, eventually landing in gutters which may lead to clogging.
This is what experts suggest but whenever you see your gutters overflowing, you should clean them as soon as possible. This can save you from having to deal with costly repairs.
Now that you know the benefits of cleaning your gutters and how often you should clean them, you will be interested in kick-starting this project. But you may be unsure about what equipment will be required and how to get the task done properly. Do not worry as we are at your service. Below we have six simple steps for, including a list of equipment you will need.
Steps to Clean your Gutters:
Collect everything you’ll need.
To carry out the whole task smoothly, you will need the following equipment.
- Ladder
- Face mask
- Safety glasses
- Gloves
- Scoop (or you can use your hands)
- Tarp or bucket
- Hard-bristle brush (if required)
- Sealant
- Cloth
Set up the ladder safely
You need to carry out the whole project standing on a ladder, so make sure it is placed safely. Get outfitted with safety glasses, gloves and a face mask. Along with that, either carry a bucket or tarp with you to place any debris.
As a small tip for your safety, set your bucket down on the roof and do not hold it with your hands. You will need both of your hands to remove the debris, otherwise, you may hurt yourself. Also, for added safety, have someone with you to hold the ladder.
Remove the debris
With the help of a gutter scoop or your hands, remove as much of the debris as you can. Put it in your bucket for disposal.
Alternatively, you can also lay down a tarpaulin sheet so that you can drop the debris on it. Later on, you can move it along with the ladder. Empty your bucket or tarp into a bin to get rid of the debris.
Tidy your gutters
After you have gotten as debris as you can out using your hands or scoop, you may see some residue left in the gutter. Use a stiff brush to remove it. You may need to scrub a little to lift debris that has stuck to the gutter. Your gutter doesn’t have to be perfectly clean but try to get it as clean as possible.
Inspect for issues
After cleaning the gutter, look for signs of holes or rusting. If you find any damage, first dry the area off by using a cloth. Then apply a bead of exterior grade silicone sealant to the damaged area. You will also need to inspect that gutters aren’t pulling away from your roof.
Also know How to remove moss from your roof?
Add gutter guards
If you want to reduce how much debris is getting into your gutters, then you can purchase gutter guards for your home. Some people use them to stop larger debris, including leaves, from getting into the gutter in the first place. You will still need to regularly clean these guards out, however, for them to do their job properly.
After reading the above steps, if you still think you will not be able to do this task, you can hire a professional.
Make the most of your time at home
With many of us currently quarantined at home, this is the perfect time to do all those odd jobs that get put off. This can include cleaning your gutters. Take a day to get the job done properly.
