If you've ever considered cleaning your own gutters, you're not alone. Gutter cleaning is one of those necessary household tasks that many people dread. It's messy, it's time-consuming, and it can be dangerous if you don't know what you're doing.
But gutter cleaning doesn't have to be a nightmare. With the right tools and a few helpful tips, you can get the job done quickly and easily. Here are the pros and cons of self-gutter cleaning, along with some tips for how to use a ladder safely and what the cost of getting a professional to do it actually is.
The first step is to choose the right tool for the job. There are a few different options available, but we recommend using a Gutter Hawg. These tools are specifically designed for gutter cleaning and can be found at most home improvement stores.
Clogged Gutters
This Can Lead to Water Damage
If you have a lot of trees on your property, you may find that your gutters get clogged more often than if you didn't. That's because leaves and other debris can fall into your gutters and cause them to become blocked. If left unchecked, this can lead to water damage to your home.
How To Clean Gutters
1. Get a gutter cleaning kit. This will include a trowel, gloves, and a small brush.
2. Put on gloves and remove any large debris from the gutters with your hands.
3. Use the trowel to scoop out any smaller pieces of debris.
4. Use the brush to scrub away any remaining dirt or grime.
5. Rinse the gutters with a garden hose and let them dry completely before putting the gutter guards back in place.
BEST Gutter Cleaning Tools
You can use a variety of tools to clean your gutters, but the most popular are:
- Gutter cleaning brushes. These come in various sizes and shapes, with bristles or soft rubber edges that will scrub away dirt and leaves from your gutters.
- Gutter Hawg. If leaves have stuck between slats (or if you're having trouble getting them out with a brush), try scraping them off with this tool instead.
- Hose cleaners. They look like mini-sized leaf blowers, but they shoot water instead of air; they make raking out clogs much easier than any other method!
- Water pressure washers or garden hose nozzles at full blast power will help break up debris so it can be washed down into your yard or driveway below—and not clog up your gutter again as soon as it rains next week!
Best Gutter Cleaning Tools For The Money?
You may be wondering if it’s worth it to invest in a high-quality gutter cleaning tool. The answer is yes! It will save you time and effort, which means more money in your pocket. A good gutter cleaning tool is also likely to last longer than its cheaper counterparts because of its construction quality and materials used, so you won’t need to worry about replacing it anytime soon.
Now that you know why a high-quality gutter cleaning tool is important for your home, let me show you some examples of tools that are perfect for the job.
Cleaning Gutters: Cleaning Solution
You can use a variety of solutions to clean your gutters, but the most popular is bleach. Bleach will kill any mold or mildew that may be growing in your gutters and will also disinfect them. You can also use a vinegar solution, which will also disinfect your gutters.
To make a bleach solution, mix one-part bleach with 10 parts of water. To make a vinegar solution, mix one-part vinegar with 10 parts water.
Spray the solution onto the gutters and let it sit for 15 minutes. Then, use a gutter cleaning brush to scrub away any remaining dirt or grime. Rinse the gutters with a garden hose and let them dry completely before. Always be careful when working with bleach! Use mouth, eye, nose, and even protection at all times.
Gutter Cleaning Scoop
This is one of the most essential gutter cleaning tools. It can help you remove leaves, sticks, and other gutter debris from your gutters without having to climb up a ladder.
Gutter Gunk Cleaners
Gutter cleaners are a must-have for anyone with a lot of trees on their property. It's specifically designed to clean out gunk and debris from your gutters, and it works great!
Wet Dry Vacuum
This is a great tool to have on hand for gutter cleaning because it can help you remove wet debris from your gutters without making a mess.
Wet Dry Vacuum Attachment
This is a great gutter cleaning tool if you have a wet dry vacuum. It's specifically designed to fit onto the end of a wet dry vacuum hose, so you can easily suck up all the debris and gunk from your gutters.
Ladder
You'll need a ladder to reach high gutters on your roof, so make sure you choose one tall enough and rated for your weight.
Install Gutter Guards
Gutter guards can save you time and money by keeping your gutters clean and free of debris.
If you're tired of constantly cleaning your gutters, you may want to consider installing gutter guards. Gutter guards will help keep leaves and other debris out of your gutters, so you won't have to clean them as often.
Microfiber Gutter Cleaner Tool
This gutter cleaner is one of the best power tools/gutter tools designed with microfiber that can reach deep into gutters and remove even the most stubborn debris. The long, extendable handle will also save you from having to use a ladder to clean the gutters.
Power Washer and Gutter wand
This is one of the most powerful gutter cleaning tools you can buy. It can blast through even the toughest gutter debris and get your gutters clean in no time. The best part is that it comes with a gutter wand attachment that makes it easy to reach those hard-to-reach gutters.
Pressure Washer Attachment
If you already have a pressure washer, then this gutter cleaning attachment is perfect for you.
Telescoping Wand
This wand is perfect for those hard-to-reach gutters. It extends up to 12 feet and has a 90-degree angle head that makes it easy to get into those tight spaces.
Air Pressure Leaf Blower
You can use an air pressure leaf blower to remove leaves and other light debris from your gutters. Just be careful not to blast too hard or you could end up blowing the gutters right off the house!
Garden Hose
If you have a lot of wet debris in your gutters, you can use a garden hose to flush it out. Just be sure to use a gentle setting so you don't damage the gutters.
Extension Pole
If you need to reach high gutters, you'll need an extension pole–especially if you live in a two-story house. Extension poles come in different lengths, so make sure you choose one that's long enough to reach the gutters on your roof to remove debris.
Gutter Hawg
This gutter cleaning tool is specifically designed to remove leaves and other debris from your gutters. It can be attached to an extendable handle so you can reach those hard-to-reach gutters
Gutter Brush
A gutter brush is perfect for cleaning those hard-to-reach gutters. It's extendable, so you can often reach up to 12 feet, and it has a rotating head that makes it easy to maneuver around tight corners.
Cost to Clean Gutters With a Professional Gutter Cleaning Service
A Gutter cleaning service can clean your gutters for about $0.50 per linear foot. So, if you have 100 linear feet of gutters, the cost would be $50.00. Typical gutter cleaning costs can vary though. The type of gutter, the height of your home, and other factors can all play a role in the final cost.
For instance, if your gutters are extra-long or difficult to reach, the price may be higher. Likewise, if you have a lot of trees on your property, a gutter cleaning service may have to work harder to get to them. This can easily increase gutter cleaning costs.
Gutter cleaning costs range from $75 to $200, but the average gutter cleaning prices are usually between $100 and $150. If you're looking for gutter cleaning services in your area, be sure to shop around and compare prices. You can often reduce your gutter cleaning cost significantly if you book online or you have multiple services done at the same time.
Gutter cleaning companies also offer downspout cleaning, which will usually cost extra. Downspout cleaning is important because it ensures water can properly drain from your gutters. If downspouts are clogged, it can cause water to back up and overflow, which can damage your gutters and roof.
A Few More Considerations:
Patio Furniture
Don't forget to move your patio furniture out of the way before you start cleaning your gutters! Gutters are usually located right above your patio furniture, so you don't want to accidentally knock anything over.
High-Quality Materials
When it comes to gutter cleaning, you want to make sure you're using high-quality materials. This includes gloves, ladders, and gutter cleaners. Lightweight items are also essential. It doesn't matter if you buy it together or if everything is purchased separately. Most extension poles are made of aluminum.
Wet Debris
When you're cleaning your gutters, you'll likely come across a lot of wet debris. This can include leaves, twigs, and sticks. To remove this type of debris, you'll need a wet dry vacuum or a shop vac with a hose attachment.
Dry Debris
Dry debris is usually easier to remove than wet debris. This includes things like dirt, dust, and small stones. To remove dry debris from your gutters, you can use a gutter scoop or an extendable pole with a brush attachment. Be sure to remove all the dirt and debris from your gutters before you start cleaning them.
Exterior trim
If you have any exterior trim on your home, be careful not to hit it with your ladder while you're cleaning your gutters. Exterior trim can be delicate, and you don't want to damage it.
Unsightly stains
If you have any unsightly stains on your gutters, you can use a power washer to remove them. Just be careful not to damage the gutters while you're cleaning them. Always make an effort to keep your gutter clean.
Dryer Vents and Gutter Cleaning
Having your gutters and dryer vents cleaned on a regular basis is important to ensure that they are working properly and not causing any problems. If you have a lot of trees on your property, it's especially important to have your gutters and dryer vents cleaned regularly to prevent clogs.
Cleaning Jobs
Having the right gutter cleaning tools can make all the difference when it comes to getting your gutters clean quickly and easily. With the right tools, you'll be able to reach those hard-to-reach gutters, remove stubborn debris, and get the job done in no time.
Personal Safety
Eye Protection
Goggles or safety glasses should be worn to protect your eyes from flying debris, especially when you are on a tall ladder cleaning your gutters manually.
Gutter cleaning is best left to the professionals.
Gutter cleaning can be a DIY job but can also be dangerous, dirty, and messy. If you have gutters on your property that need cleaning and maintenance, it's often better to leave the job to the professionals.
Gutters sit at the edge of your roof and prevent water from entering your home or foundation by channeling rainwater away from those areas. Gutters contain several different parts that work together to keep rainwater flowing properly:
- Downspouts are pipes that connect gutters on either side of a building (such as one side of a house) and drain into a downspout outlet at ground level or near grade level. They run parallel with roofs but are often hidden from view by surrounding landscaping or other structures like walls or fences.
- Gutter hangers support gutter sections while they're connected in series; they also hold them in place once installed onto roof joists (the horizontal framing members that make up roofs). These are usually made out of plastic so they're easy to mold into whatever shape is necessary for attachment purposes—they may even come pre-made with some type of interlocking feature already built in!
Conclusion
The best gutter cleaning tools are the ones that will get the job done fast. You don’t have to spend a lot of money on fancy equipment when you can just use some basic household items, like rags and trowels, instead. Just be sure to take safety precautions and use common sense while you’re up on the ladder!
If your gutters have damaged your roof, or you want to know more about gutters feel free to contact us!
