Spring Spruce Up: The Ultimate Gutter Cleaning Guide
One of the central things to your home’s maintenance is the functionality of your gutters. Avoid problems like basement flooding, leaks, and even critter invasion. The best thing you can do is commit to proper gutter-cleaning to save yourself valuable time, money and nerves down the line. If you’re unsure what the best ways to cleaning gutters are, here are a few answered questions to guide you through the process:
How Often Should I Clean My Gutters?
The industry recommendation is to clean your gutters and downspouts twice per year. However, depending on the conditions of your yard, the frequency of cleaning may vary:
- Harsh Winters: Clean the gutters as frequently as possible to avoid ice dams; if too heavy, they can rip the channels off of your home and can cause water leaks
- Trees or Woods: If you live surrounded by trees, expect plenty of leaves and debris in your gutters. If this is the case, have your gutters cleaned three or four times per year
- Dry Climates: Dry climates are perfect for gutter-maintenance in a sense that – in the absence of ice, precipitation, and leaves, cleaning them once a year will do
How Do I Clean My Gutters?
Cleaning the gutters isn’t only about cleaning them, per se – it’s more about the way you wash them. Follow these tips to tackle gutter cleaning at least twice a year:
Wear Protective Gear
Regardless of the weather conditions outside, a long-sleeve shirt and pants are a must. You also want to use thick, work gloves to keep your hands and arms protected against sharp objects.
Use a Tall Ladder
Choose a secure ladder that extends three feet over the gutters. Make sure you secure the ladder on the flat ground. If possible, secure it on the pavement. If you are too afraid of heights or can’t trust your ladder stability, rely on professional help for cleaning.
Remove the Big Stuff First
The first thing is to remove the substantial material by starting near the downspout. Scoop out the twigs, leaves, and other debris using your trowel and dump it all into a bucket.
Flush With a Hose
Once you’ve removed the bigger elements, use a hose to flush away the smaller bits, like grime, dirt, and alike. Still, don’t go overboard using this jet of water – you don’t want to cause any (water) damage. Start at the end farthest from the downspout and work towards it.
Not Draining? It’s the Downspout
If the gutters don’t drain quickly after being flushed with a hose, it is usually an indicator that you have a problem with your downspout. Adjust the small nozzle to the strongest spray possible and start at the bottom; then, work your way up to the clog. It should have your gutters draining freely in no time. If the downspout clog is too tight, use a plumber’s snake then flush again from the far end of the channels. If none of these methods work, it may be the time to replace the gutters.
Contact Professionals
1-800 HANSONS has the solution to cleaning out your gutters and keeping them “healthy” for years. We offer an American made gutter system that comes with a 100% NO CLOG guarantee. It utilizes the highest quality materials around and easily installs on all existing gutter systems, both old and new. We will make sure any and all debris is blocked from entering your gutters.
Click here to schedule your free gutter guard estimate from 1-800-HANSONS.
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