Owning a home has many benefits, but it also comes with a variety of responsibilities.
These responsibilities may be a basic as cutting the lawn or as involved as cleaning the rain gutters. With the rain we’ve been getting, and with more on the way, it’s important to get educated on our gutters.
Did you know that in a downpour, a clogged roof gutter sends a cascade of water down the side of your house, making canyons of your flowerbeds and saturating your foundation?
When you clean gutters of leaves and debris, you are helping to prevent damage to your landscaping and siding, and help in heading off possible expensive repairs to your foundation – upwards in the amount of $10,000 or more!!
So how do we go about tackling the job of cleaning our gutters? Well, like any job, rain gutter cleaning is easier when you use the right tools after all, the right tools can save you both time and money! As you approach rain gutter cleaning on your home, you will want to be mindful of the following tips:
Have a helper – Even if you are comfortable with climbing a ladder, you should still have someone there to help you. This helper can assist by holding the ladder steady, handing you the various items needed, and be there to help should there be a worst-case scenario situation.
Your ladder choice – It is impossible to clean the rain gutters without a ladder. Professional rain gutter cleaners recommend using a four-legged, metal ladder that is sturdy and has a shelf that will support a five-gallon bucket to collect debris in; the bucket can be secured to the ladder using a lanyard.
Use a Garden Hose – For best results be sure the hose has good water pressure and then attach a pistol-grip trigger spray nozzle. The garden hose will make it easier to spray out the rain gutter once the large items have been removed; simply spray the smaller items towards the downspout.
Have a Rain Gutter Scoop – Although there are two main choices for this tool, a plastic one or a metal one, most professional rain gutter cleaning professionals recommend the plastic type as it is less likely to scrape the base of the rain gutter.
Don’t injure your hands – Wearing heavy gloves is not an option! The gloves will protect your hands from rotting leaves, sharp branches or twigs, any sharp metal edges and any animal droppings. It is recommended that choose gloves made of thick suede as other glove fabrics are not as helpful or protective.
Keep your eyes safe – Cleaning rain gutter is a dirty job, and you don’t want to have any of that dirt in your eyes.
Rooftop safety – When you go up on the roof to rake any loose debris to the rain gutter, be sure you are wearing rubber-soled shoes. You should also not begin the rain gutter cleaning process until the sun has had time to dry the roof.
