With winter now in the rearview mirror and spring right upon us, it’s time to give your home the TLC it’s been craving over the last few months and one of the first places you need to clean is your gutters.
Don’t worry if you’re not sure how to clean your gutters or where you need to start, we’ve got you covered. This blog tries to make the process of cleaning your guttering as easy and painless as possible. So, what are we waiting for? Let’s get right to it.
Content Summary
Why clean your gutters?
Throughout the autumn and winter months, your gutters can become clogged with leaves, dirt and debris, leading to several potential problems. By keeping them clear, you help to protect your doors, windows, house and foundations from water damage and ice dams in the winter.
You should aim to clean your gutters a minimum of once a year, particularly before the autumn months to avoid them from clogging up and not draining rainfall properly.
What you’ll need
Before you start to attempt cleaning your gutters, you’ll need to make sure that you have the necessary tools and equipment. These include:
- Gutter cleaning ladders
- Bucket
- Gloves/garden trowel
- Hose
- Stiff brush
- Plumber’s auger
Once you have all of the necessary equipment to clean your gutters, you can now make a start. Ensure all equipment is sturdy and up to scratch, otherwise, it may be wise to call a professional. If your equipment is good to go, however, here’s what you’ll need to do.
Cleaning your guttering
- Place your ladder down at one end beneath your guttering and make your way up with an empty bucket. Using a gloved hand or garden trowel, work your way down the gutters removing any gunk that has collected and placing it into the bucket.
- Once all of the debris has been gathered and removed from the gutters, wash them out with a garden hose being sure to work from the end of the guttering closest to the drainpipe. Be careful as this could be a messy job if any loose bits of debris were missed. Use a stiff brush to remove any stubborn bits of grime.
- Once you’ve started to hose down the gutters, check to see if the water is flowing freely down your pipes. If it isn’t, then you may have a blockage. You can try to clear the blockage using the hose and water to dislodge whatever is stuck, however, if this doesn’t work them a plumber’s auger should do the trick.
- If all is good with your gutters and pipes and the water is flowing freely, you can say it’s a job well done. You can install gutter guards to prevent leaves and debris from gathering in your gutters easily. This for sure will make the process of cleaning your gutters next time much quicker and simpler.
By following these simple steps, you will ensure that not only are your gutters free from dirt and blockages but you can rest assured knowing that further problems that happen as a result of obstructed gutters and pipes are avoided. We hope this blog has helped you and good luck on getting those gutters clean!
