We all know household chores are a necessary evil to keep a home’s life long and healthy. Life often does its thing and the to-do list can fall by the wayside, especially those items that aren’t easy to notice during your day to day. Cleaning the gutters of your roof is often one of these tasks! But the gutters perform the very important job of directing water off of the roof, so keeping them clear of leaves and other debris is essential. If the gutters are neglected, it could mean excess water causing damage that might lead to leaks. Here are some of the best ways to clean those gutters!
5 Methods for Cleaning Gutters
- Invest in a leaf blower if you don’t already own one. Safely use a ladder or access the gutters from the roof and you can easily get rid of most debris and dry loose leaves. The nozzle attachment grants a strong, direct spray to remove obstructions. Just be careful to avoid blowing anything into the downspout.
- For the soggy leaves or more compacted debris, try a gutter scoop. To use effectively, start at the lowest end of the gutter drain and clean upwards. Just place the gunk you remove into a bucket or other receptacle and rinse out the gutter with a hose afterwards to evaluate the results of the job.
- A good, old fashioned hose is another great way to remove junk from your gutters. Just use the strong setting and spray the gunk out and away.
- If you have quite a lot of leaves or rubbish really clogging the drain pipes, a drain snake can be a great tool to take care of that issue. You can insert a plumber’s snake from above or below to get rid of those leaves.
- Take a proactive measure by trimming the trees around your property so that they don’t hang over the roof. This will keep leaf build-up to a minimum.
Installing a leaf guard can be really helpful in minimizing the build up you then later have to clean out. We also recommend hosing out your gutters regularly whether or not they look dirty. This is an easy way to make sure the water redirected off the roof is properly making its way down and out. You also want to pay attention and check that the spout is dumping the water out in the correct direction. You don’t want the water drainage to be streaming toward the home because that could lead to damage to your home’s structure over time.
Now, remember. Safety is priority number one when doing any cleaning or maintenance on the roof of your home. Whether you are using a ladder or choose to climb out on the roof to clean, use the utmost caution and take it slow.
Speaking of safety, consider your gutters an integral aspect to the safety of your home. Keeping them clean and well-functioning will keep pesky pooling water away from the roof and its shingles, fascia, and other components safe and dry.
If you have any concerns about your roof or have noticed any damage, our team members at RocStout are happy to answer any questions you might have or set you up with an inspection today.
