Ever Cleaned Your Rain Gutters Without Getting Dirty?

Well it’s that time of year again, time to clean those dirty rain gutters.

The job of a rain gutter is to collect all the water that runs off the roof, channel it into the downspouts which direct it away from the house.

Without your rain gutters, you would have all kinds of problems with your home.

What do rain gutters do?

• Protect the siding
• Protect the windows
• Protect the doors
• Keep run off from flooding your basement or crawl space
• Protect your landscaping – lawn and flower beds

They look like simple little troughs, but they really have a big responsibility. With that said, it’s easy to understand why they need to be kept free of debris.

If your rain gutters become so full that they are clogged:

• They will overflow, soaking anyone that passes beneath them, and everything they were supposed to protect will be threatened.
• If they become too heavy with water and debris, they are at risk of pulling away from the house.
• If water is allowed to sit in the rain gutter, it will rust those made of metal and will rot those made of wood.

Since winter has just ended, your gutters are more than likely full, and need to be cleaned.

• First prepare yourself:
  • Wear only non-slip shoes
  • Wear heavy work gloves
  • Wear eye protection
• Assemble your tools:
  • A tall sturdy ladder
  • A garden hose
  • A bucket to hold debris
• Prop the ladder up securely, making sure it is on solid ground
• Using your gloved hand, scoop handfuls of debris from the gutters, placing it in the bucket.
  • If the contents of your gutters are dry, you may be able to use a leaf blower to clear them out.
• Once the gutters are clear, use the hose to rinse away any leftover dirt and leaves or pine needles. Make sure the downspouts are clear.

Your gutters should typically be cleaned twice a year.

This doesn’t sound like such a bad job, but it can be very grimy and gross! Not only is it usually a dirty job, but working on ladders and rooftops can prove to be dangerous as well.

Certainly it’s a job that you could tackle. But the only way I know that you can remain safe and clean is to give me a call and let me do it for you!

**originally published 5/19/11