Any homeowners who used winter weather as an excuse not to clean last fall’s leaves out of the gutter might have a daunting task ahead. Clogged gutters cause problems when spring rains arrive and send water pouring off the roof. Even worse, piles of rotting debris could provide a haven for mosquitoes and ants or even pull away from the roof.
Home improvement guru Bob Villa stresses the importance of the dull and occasionally dangerous job on his website, bobvilla.com. “While it’s a job many of us would love to ignore, gutter cleaning is an important twice-a-year ritual all homeowners need to adopt,” Mr. Villa says.
A variety of tools and methods exist to make the job easier – even a gutter cleaning robot – but the task almost always requires someone to climb up a ladder. For those who fear heights or have gutters high in the air, the advice can end with three words: hire a professional.
If you’re up to the task, the job quite literally begins at the ground. Before scaling the ladder, try jumping lightly a few times on the bottom run to make sure your footing is sturdy. It may feel funny, but falling from the top of a ladder you’ve unwittingly set up on a collapsed mole hill is not laughing matter.
Looj Gutter Cleaning Robot
Once you’re on top of things, tools abound to make the job easier. Items like the Gutter Getter scoop allow you to remove debris without scratching the bottom of your gutters, which could lead to rust and other problems. The Looj gutter-cleaning robot – from the makers of the Roomba vacuum – practically does the work for you. Online reviews differ on whether the robot saves time, but at the very least, it allows you to climb down off the ladder and watch safely with your feet on solid ground.
After the debris has been removed, use a hose to rinse the gutters toward the downspout. Once that job is complete, consider putting a strainer over the upper end of the downspout to prevent future clogs.
Odds are high that in the process of cleaning the gutters, you splattered some much on your home’s siding. A pressure washer provides the easiest way to clean mud, mold and other debris off vinyl siding. Wikihow.com offers easy tips to help avoid turning a basic job into a major headache. In basic terms, you’ll be fine as long as your spray downward at a 45-degree angle to avoid getting excess water between the sheets of siding. Also, avoid using excessively hot water, as it can cause siding to warp.