Adding gutters to your home’s exterior is an essential way to help protect your home against water damage during the rainy season. Despite channeling water flow from the roof, your standard gutter system often gathers leaves and tree debris which needs to be cleaned off.
Since cleaning sounds like a momentous task, many locals opt for the gutter cleaning Melbourne roofing companies offer as part of their services. To streamline DIY and professional cleaning, there are a few tips to keep in mind.
Gutter Cleaning Quick and Easy
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When gutters are clean they are the best way to keep excess water from pooling on your roof. However, depending on where you live, how many trees extend above your roof and how often you clean your roof, the gutters can become clogged with leaves, twigs, sand and even bird nests. This in turn can hamper the water flow process and cause roof damage. Our tips will help you prevent this.
1. Always Use the Right Tools for the Job
The number one rule of cleaning your gutter yourself is to use the right tools to ensure that cleaning is done safely and effectively. Here are a few tools to invest in:
- Sturdy ladder: Many people prefer not to use a ladder for a single-story building as it may be easier to just use a pressure hose. However, using a sturdy ladder is an effective way to ensure that you can see and reach all the gunk that may be up there. Make sure the ladder is sturdy.
- The right gear: It might sound a bit far-fetched to put on PPE to sweep out the gutters, but this is by far the safest option. Non-slip rubber-soled boots, eye protection (to guard against dust) and well-fitting rubber gloves are good starting points.
- Small hand trowel: This will make it easier to scrape out stubborn gutter build-up.
- Hand brush and hard bristled broom: This is often a top way to clear out loose debris and loose sand from the gutters and tiles.
- Pressure washer: Using a pressure washer is often the easiest way to blast off stubborn dirt and debris. It’s also a very effective way to clean roof tiles.
- Waste bags: These will be used to collect the moss, leaves, twigs and other debris that may have accumulated in the gutters.
2. Start With the Roof First
The bulk of the debris in your gutter runs down from the roof. With that in mind, it’s a good idea to start with the roof. Use the hard bristled brush to remove any loose dirt and debris on the roof. In some cases, it may be easier to use a garden blower to blow the dirt into the gutter.
3. Clean Out Gutter Debris
Leaves, dirt and debris that have accumulated in the gutter can, over time, become hard and gunky. Before using the power washer to blast the dirt off, remove as much of it as possible by hand. This will ensure that less of it is washed down into the downpipes and drains where it can also create blockages. For stubborn dirt, use the hand trowel to scrape it loose.
4. Consider Using a Cleaning Solution
Many homeowners also opt for an outdoor cleaning solution that will remove any bacteria and dirt during pressure washing. A strong outdoor roof cleaning solution will also remove any airborne pollutants such as grease, oil or tar that may have ended up on the roof or in the gutter.
5. Clear Out the Downpipes and Drains
Clearing out your downpipes and drains is also an important part of ensuring that water and debris run off properly. Since clearing out drains can often be an arduous task, it’s advised to prevent them from getting clogged in the first place.
But if you do need to clear it out, use your hand trowel to dig out leaves, moss, twigs and soil. Your pressure washer should also have attachments that you can use to quickly clear out drain blockages. Washing the drains with an antibacterial drain cleaner is also a good idea.
6. Get Gutter Guards
If you live in an area where your gutters seem to block regularly, it may be time to install gutter guards. Typically, these guards clip onto the top of the gutters and prevent large debris from getting stuck. These are an effective way to save time and effort during the cleaning process.
Final Thoughts
For most homeowners, it’s only necessary to clear out gutters twice a year. Fortunately, the more you clean them, the easier the process becomes, and regular cleaning ensures that there’s no build-up of stubborn and harmful debris.
If yours is clean, it’s also less likely that your gutter will break and cause water damage to your roof and your home. It may not be a fun task, but there are many ways to make this home maintenance work less strenuous!