Why You Should Be Cleaning Your Gutters, and How to Do It
We know a thing or two about gutters here at GutterPros. And, as evident by out motto, “No Customer Left Behind,” we care a lot about the people we serve. That’s why we want to share some of our knowledge and help you out. Cleaning gutters can be a dirty, frustrating job. It’s one of those things that everyone thinks about doing but never really gets around to doing. That’s why people like us get hired to do the dirty work!
Think about a river. If that river gets blocked anywhere, it gets stuck and doesn’t run as well. Over time, that little block becomes bigger and bigger until eventually the river is forced to either break through it or to find a new way around. Your gutters work the same way. When something gets stuck, it clogs them up. Unfortunately, gutters are also are much smaller than your average river bed, so it takes a lot less to throw them off.
When things like leaves, twigs, dirt, or other gunk pile up in your gutters, the flow is weakened. This means that the gutter isn’t doing it’s job and that eventually that blockage will cause the gutter to overflow, or worse – break. This causes a ton of problems and will bring up a slew of unexpected costs. Broken gutters not only look bad but can also lead to water damage of your home, ruin your curb appeal, or cause serious safety risks like slipping and falling.
The good news is that cleaning your gutters doesn’t have to be such a hard thing. All it takes is a little bit of time, some simple tools, and a willingness to get your hands a little dirty! You’re going to need a plastic gutter scoop (can be purchased at most hardware stores), a ladder, and access to a hose. It’s highly recommended that you wear long sleeves and gloves, and set out a tarp on the ground so that your grass doesn’t get dirty.
The procedure is fairly simple. First, you’re going to set up your ladder in a position that lets you reach a fair distance to the left and to the right. You’ll scoop out any gunk you may see and toss it down onto your tarp. Continue down the gutter until you’ve cleared out all the major pieces. Now, get your hose and run water down the gutter. This will sweep up the smaller pieces, and will also give you a good idea of if you have any leaks or alignment issues with your system.
If you live in a two-story home, we urge you to take extreme caution when climbing that high to clean out the gutters. While it isn’t an extremely difficult thing to do, it still requires some serious balance and a fall from that height can lead to serious injury.
If you’re not sure if your gutter needs to be cleaned, GutterPros offers a FREE gutter inspection service. If you would prefer to have a professional do it, our technicians are extremely qualified and we offer very affordable prices. Call GutterPros today to learn more!