As a property owner, it’s critical that you stay up to date with your gutter cleaning. When your gutters are clogged up, it prevents the water from flowing freely through your gutter system and downspouts, resulting in it running off the side of your house and saturating your foundation (and other areas of your property you’d rather not soak).
In addition, clogged gutters can become quite heavy, which can put some unnecessary strain and tension on the side of your house. This could lead to sagging and more severe damage that would result in you needing to repair or replace your gutters and soffits, and possibly even your siding in the area surrounding the gutters.
In general, you should plan on performing gutter cleaning and any necessary repair in Seattle at least once a year, but twice or more if you have trees overhanging your gutters. You should also make sure to check your gutters after big storms with high winds, and pay special attention to the areas in your gutter system where the downspouts connect, as clogs are more likely to occur there.
When it comes time to actually clean out your gutters, here’s what you’re going to want to do:
Dress appropriately: Wear a long-sleeved shirt and rubber gloves. Chances are, you’re going to be digging through some gross muck in your gutters, and you may not want it getting on your skin. This will also protect you in the event that you have to handle anything sharp.
Use a sturdy ladder: Work with a good extendable ladder that has standoff stabilizers (also known as ladder horns). This is ideal to help you keep the ladder from damaging the gutter. Its ability to extend will help you reach the correct height.
Use a small scoop: Any scoop you use aside from your hands should be made of plastic to prevent you from damaging the gutters. For example, you can use a plastic shovel you’d use in a kid’s sandbox.
Have a place to put the debris: You can expect anything you scoop out of the gutter to be in an advanced state of decomposition, meaning it’s going to be slimy and goopy. Rather than just tossing it on the grass and making a mess, you should have a place where you can put the debris, such as a garbage can, bucket, wheelbarrow or tarp.
Rinse: Once you’ve finished removing all of the muck that’s been trapped in the gutters, make sure you flush the gutters with a garden hose. This will also help you pinpoint any leaks and determine if you need to make any repairs.
If you have covers on your gutters, it will likely be unnecessary for you to perform any gutter cleaning. In addition, if your gutters are quite high up or difficult to reach, you might want to consider hiring a professional to get the job done instead to ensure it’s done safely and properly.
For more information about gutter cleaning and repair in Seattle, contact Stewart Lumber & Hardware Co. today.