Cleaning your gutters regularly is essential to maintaining your property since it protects your foundation from leaks and other significant problems. Even while it may appear simple, cleaning out your gutters of debris may be risky if done incorrectly, mainly because you’ll probably be working from a ladder. If your house has a lofty roof or if you’ve never done the task before, it’s considerably hazardous.
There are a few gutter cleaning blunders that homeowners should be careful to avoid to save money and prevent dangerous circumstances. Maintaining clean, debris-free gutters is easy with a few safety measures and a regular cleaning program. Learn how to avoid these typical gutter-cleaning blunders to ensure this maintenance chore is always successful.
1. You need to regularly clean your gutters.
EC Bergen County Gutters & Power Washing aims one of the most typical gutter cleaning and maintenance errors homeowners make is not cleaning them as regularly as necessary. The standard guideline is to clean at least twice a year; however, more regular cleanings may be required depending on your terrain.
For instance, if trees surround your home, you’ll need to maintain your gutters more often than twice a year since they are more likely to collect garbage and leaves. Keep an eye on the state of your channels throughout the year, and if necessary, schedule semi-annual gutter cleanings to ensure this task is completed.
2. You clean your gutters when it’s inappropriate.
Timing is also crucial to guaranteeing that your drainage system operates well when required. “Storms and unpredictable weather may cause more harm to your house if your gutters are blocked or insufficient.” adds EC Bergen County Gutters & Power Washing. Plan your gutter cleaning when your location is likely to see severe weather. In many areas, this entails cleaning gutters twice a year, in the spring and the autumn, to get them ready for stormy summers and chilly winters.
3. You’re not wearing the appropriate safety gear.
It would help to avoid using your bare hands to reach into a pile of filthy, decaying leaves since gutter cleaning is a nasty task. Put on a pair of heavy-duty work gloves to keep your hands clean and safeguard against any potentially sharp items concealed in the trash. Rubber-soled shoes with a solid grip may also assist in preventing ladder slides. Also, remember your safety glasses. When cleaning gutters, “you never know what could fly out of the downspout,” according to EC Bergen County Gutters & Power Washing.
4. You don’t adhere to the safety guidelines for ladders.
When cleaning your gutters, taking the appropriate safety precautions is essential since a fall from a ladder may cause severe damage or even death. Before using the ladder, please inspect it thoroughly and ensure the base is stable and level. If at all feasible, ask a friend or member of your family to stabilize the ladder by holding the bottom. EC Bergen County Gutters & Power Washing advises alerting a second person that you will utilize a ladder if you don’t have a helper, just in case.
To maintain your balance and prevent reaching too far when you’re up on the ladder, try to keep your hips between the side rails. Instead of going further into your gutters, EC Bergen County Gutters & Power Washing advises, “Always move the ladder to a new spot to avoid potential falls.”
5. You need to use the right tools.
With gloves on, removing leaves and other debris from gutters may be effective, but some equipment can make the process much simpler. For instance, a shop vacuum ($30, The Home Depot) with a gutter-cleaning attachment may assist in swiftly clearing up small amounts of gutter residue, such as leaves or pine needles. According to EC Bergen County Gutters & Power Washing, some homeowners prefer a pressure washer to blast debris out of their gutters when there has been a more significant accumulation. It’s recommended to clean your gutters by hand or hire a professional if you need help to use the gadget properly.
6. You still need to install gutter guards.
By avoiding the accumulation of material in your gutters in the first place, you can simplify cleaning. Gutter guards, often formed of perforated metal or mesh, collect leaves, tree sap, and other debris while enabling water to flow freely through your home’s drainage system. Gutter guards might be an excellent long-term investment if you live in a neighborhood with plenty of trees or sometimes overlook gutter maintenance.
