Did you do a cleaning the gutter from the leaves?
Just say yes, the fairy godmother would not hurt here. It is not the likable work for which you want to return again and again.
But you need to do this because the cleanliness and comfort of your home depend on the cleanliness of the gutters.
Even if you installed gutter guards, cleaning the gutters will not remain in the past.
I want to ease your fate and prepared some useful tips for cleaning gutters, which will help to make the gutters clean and do not regret it. Here we go!
Why should I Have My Gutters Cleaned?
Let’s start with why we need gutters. As you know, it saves the walls, the foundation and the house as a whole from leaks and leaves it dry.
It also makes your house look attractive. However, the leaves and trash in the gutter change all beauty.
When trash fills the gutter, it prevents the entire system from functioning correctly. If you forget about cleaning the gutter for a long time, such dirty conditions will lead to a complete breakage of the gutter and the water will merge on the walls, and not along the downpipe.
Then it will cause mold, cracks, frequent roof leaks and uncomfortable life in the house.
Therefore, you should clean the gutter regularly. It will save you from the big money spent on repairing the house, keep the foundation and roof of the house intact and safe and will save your nerve cells.
How Often Do You Need to Clean Your Gutters?
It depends on where you live and how much trees are around the house, and the overall climate.
An arid desert climate with heavy rainfall and with sultry weather does not give much debris and leaves to the roof since there are few trees in such zones.
In such a case, one annual cleaning is sufficient.
On the other hand, fertile soil, stable precipitation, forest tracts will create conditions when more frequent cleaning of the gutters is necessary – two or more times a year.
The climate is important because it turns on the type of trees in the region in which you live.
If blooming trees are located around your house, then cleaning is necessary for the spring, and if you are dealing with coniferous trees, then arrange three or four cleanings annually.
It is worth paying attention to the air temperature. The cold climate often acquaints with ice dams, which do not allow water to pass into the downpipe along with the gutter. Frozen water also deforms the trough and makes it unfit for use.
Here you also need to clean the gutter regularly, do not let the water freeze and seek the help of professionals to avoid installing new gutters.
The type of filters for gutters also determines how often you need to clean the gutters.
Mesh gutters allow you to keep the frequency once or twice a year. But brush filters or sponges require regular inspection, especially during periods of rain and strong wind.
When is The Best Time to Clean Your Gutters?
There are many opinions on this, but a preferable one is “right now.”
Yes, clean the gutter right now, because the entire system must be clean at all times.
A garbage will interfere with the processing of precipitation; the water will drip without reaching the drainpipe, eventually overwhelmed and break the gutter.
However, cleaning the gutters in spring or autumn will be no less useful. It must the cleaning is done several times a year. Such seasons as autumn and spring will be the best time for preparation of gutters to work.
It is at this time that the greatest amount of precipitation falls, and the leaves dissolve or fall, and debris accumulates in the gutters in the largest volume. Although it is a universal approach.
Sometimes trees make a leaf fall all year round, especially in summer, in dry weather, when the accumulation of leaves becomes a fire hazard problem.
Therefore, in choosing the time to clean the gutters, and proceed from the specific conditions of the place where you live, paying special attention to the fall and spring.
How Much Does Gutter Cleaning Cost
A certain price does not exist. You can order the services of cleaning companies or independently use some modern device like iRobot.
The cost of cleaning services turns on the size of your home, size of your gutter, as well as on how bad the situation with garbage is started.
So, if the scale of cleaning is small, then it can cost in the range of 100 dollars and even less. However, the large scale of the work will cost more than 300 dollars.
If you installed gutter guards, in a large house cleaning maintenance can range from hundreds to two hundred dollars.
However, you can do the cleaning yourself, and then the price will fall several times. Try to compare the price of cleaning companies and the price of a long hose for irrigation! Now, you see.
How to Clean Gutters Safely and Fast
Ways how to clean the gutters cannot be counted, but how to do it quickly is not much. The easiest and quickest way without dirt and ladders is to call the cleaning company.
Call the professionals, watch their work, drinking coffee, pay them gratitude and enjoy life further. But this is also a very costly option.
If we talk about cheaper ways, then you can use a watering hose. Any long hose that reaches the gutters will be welcome. To clean the gutter, you just need to wash all the garbage with water.
It is a good and budget option but causes a lot of dirt. If you do not want to dodge, then special cleaning kits are designed specifically for you.
The set works in conjunction with a blower. It is better to protect your eyes beforehand by means of glasses or other protection since dust or debris gets into the eyes very likely.
Next, attach the parts of the kit to the blower, climb up the ladder, and all the rest of the gusts of air will do for you literally in a few minutes.
How to Clean Gutters on a Two-Story House
In the case of two-story houses, cleaning the gutters seems like something very difficult, but in fact, it is not.
Many remain adherents of old approaches and do it from the roof. However, this method is not only extremely dangerous but also sometimes even impossible. For example, a tiled roof can be damaged when a person moves on it.
To help again come to the blowers, which are designed specifically for harvesting leaves. In theory, such blowers can clean the gutters while on the ground, but you can also use a long ladder.
Perhaps, one of the most optimal solutions in this matter will be a washing machine. It is important that the length was long and its size reached 24 feet.
Do not forget to install the nozzle at the end of the extension cord, so that it can eliminate large debris.
Also Read: How to Repair Leaky Gutters and Downspouts – Complete Guide
The Best Way to Clean Gutters from Ground
Clearing the gutters from the ground is an idea that will seem tempting to anyone who has ever done it on the ladder.
After all, the ladder is scary, dangerous, slow and heavy. There are several ways to solve the problem of clogged gutters without using a ladder.
Hose
The watering hose wins all the charts again, especially when it comes to a single-story house. If the length of the hose is more than the standard, you will be able to remove the leaves and debris from the gutter by means of the water pressure.
Blowers
Blowers are an even more attractive solution because it does not cause dirt, as water does. But the gusts of air provoke the appearance of dust. Air purification is a very easy process, which can end in a few minutes after the start.
It is quite easy and does not require the use of a ladder or additional tools (except for glasses and other protection). This method is suitable for gutters in multi-story buildings.
Like the sputnik moment
The remote control is useful not only in switching TV channels from another room, in turning on lights or closing windows. Imagine this can help you in caring for the outside of the house.
iRobotLoojis the gutter cleaning robot, which cleans the gutters of leaves and debris, and you control it with the remote control. Impressive, is not it?
This “vacuum cleaner” eliminates any pollution. It can be leaves, garbage, shards of shingles or even jammed water. For iRobot, nothing is impossible.
Therefore, you may even not like gadgets, but only love cleanliness and want to pay for it. After all, this technology miracle is not cheap.
How to Clean Gutters with Pressure Washer
This most obvious method can become much more convenient if you use a nebulizer. Such a stick can spray water at a height of up to 24 feet.
You do not need to use a ladder or climb the roof. To get started, simply attach the dust bag to the tip of the spray gun, and then install the pressure hose on the front side.
You can start cleaning with a weak water pressure, after which you can increase the pressure and volume of water, if necessary.It is only necessary when the weak pressure is not enough to move the garbage from the place.
Fold all debris (not leaves) into a bag or separate place to continue cleaning the gutter from dirt and leaves.
After you finish the cleaning and the gutter is clear, spray the water over the gutters necessary to flush the gutter before further operation.
Conclusion
I always try to use just such methods for fast and effective cleaning of gutters. After all, even with gutter guards, manual cleaning with a spatula is a very slow process and can take a whole day.
Besides, when cleaning we must comply with safety rules, otherwise normal routine work will turn into a nightmare.
Still, if your abilities allow you to call the help of professionals from the clinical company, do it. Moreover, sometimes this is not at all an expensive service.
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