A regular gutter cleaning protects the house from moisture damage in the masonry and mold in the building. We will show you how to clean your gutter and prevent deposits of leaves, moss and more.
A roof or gutter needs every house. It ensures in combination with a downpipe for safe discharge of rainwater and thus protects the home and the residents from annoying water damage.
Rain gutter guards are made of various materials in the specialized trade. They are all very robust against the weather. Although they are entirely free of maintenance, you, as a homeowner, should nevertheless regularly check the condition of your gutter. Over time, leaves, flowers, branches, moss and other foreign bodies are stored there and prevent proper roof drainage. As a result, there may be blockages of the drain and overflowing water that attacks the facade or the plaster.
If freezing conditions prevail, the downpipe can even burst due to the frozen water. Or dangerous icicles on the underside of the gutter – the risk of injury to residents and passers-by is excellent. But that’s not all: over time, the accumulated dirt in the gutter gains in weight. This may well cause the gutter to break. Then only the soldering of the gutter helps.
When and how often do you clean the gutter?
When and how often you should rehabilitate the gutter depends on various criteria. In addition to the variety, the dimensions and size of the gutter and the material of the gutter, the location of the house and its roof shape decide on the cleaning. Are there many trees near your home? Do you own a steep or flat roof?
You should clean your gutter twice a year, in spring and autumn. The cleaning in autumn is essential before winter breaks in and the frost sets in. Do not delay the work! Anyone who obstructs the gutter cleaning must expect that the dirt is getting stuck. In this case, the removal of dirt is particularly time-consuming and tedious.
Tip: Anyone who regularly cleans their gutter knows their collection points for dirt and can clean them again and again – this saves time.
Different approaches to gutter cleaning on your own
Cleaning with simple household appliances
For effective gutter cleaning, you need a telescopic ladder with non-slip rungs, a shovel, a hand brush or a brush, a bucket and construction gloves. As a first step, close the drain on the downpipe. The foliage and the branches must not get into the downpipe. Otherwise, there is a risk of clogging! Start at one side of the gutter and, meter by meter, loosen the impurities in the gutter with your hands. Then you can use a small broom and a shovel to collect the leaves and transport them into the bucket. Using a wet cloth, wipe the gutter clean. If the dirt has been completely removed, check that the water drains properly.
Good to know: Most of the waste in the gutters is biodegradable and can be composted – ideally as a fertilizer for shrubs (for example, rhododendrons). Exception: If many conifers grow near your home, you should not recycle the waste. The needles rot very slowly.
Cleaning with a set from the specialized trade
To make gutter cleaning more comfortable, you can purchase professional tools and tools to help you with care and cleaning. Telescopic poles can be pulled out to the desired length, making it easy to clean the gutters in no time.
We introduce you to recommendable devices for gutter cleaning:
- Fiskars gutter cleaner
The Fiskars gutter cleaner, which consumers put on the telescopic handle of its brand, has a scraper for removing coarse dirt and a brush for removing fine dirt. The working angle can be adjusted individually. A telescopic handle can be ordered in different lengths as an option.
- Gardena gutter cleaner
The Gardena gutter cleaner works on the same principle as the cleaner from Fiskars. Plus point: Thanks to the clever water connection, you can rinse the gutter in the same operation. A telescopic handle can be ordered in different lengths as an option.
- Karcher gutter and pipe cleaning set
At high pressure, the Karcher cleaning set moves independently on sleds through the gutter. It has a pipe cleaning nozzle with four high-pressure jets directed backward and a gutter cleaner nozzle. The water pressure reliably flushes away the dirt.
Cleaning with a PET bottle
Alternatively, you can make perfect foliage sieve yourself. Grab a standard 1.5 liter PET bottle and cut off the bottom of the bottle. This will provide you with an optimum dustpan to thoroughly remove dirt from the gutter without sweeping it over the edge of the gutter. To do this, move the bottle from side to side. The practical helper automatically collects the contents of the gutter, which the hand brush usually does not reach.
Clean clogged downpipe
After leaves, branches and Co. frolicking in the gutter, they are flushed by wind and rain in the downpipe. There are easily formed clumps. As a result, the downcomer becomes clogged and rainwater can not drain properly. To clean the pipe, you need a pipe cleaning spiral from the hardware store. For the cleaning process, first, open the drain of the downpipe. Then insert the spiral from above and turn it continuously until you reach the end. Finally, all you have to do is washout the downpipe with water.
What is there to consider in terms of safety?
You should only clean your gutter yourself if you get to the eaves of your house entirely. Make sure you have a sturdy ladder that provides a secure footing. During gutter cleaning, you must move it several times to clear the entire perimeter of the gutter. Tip: The ladder should project beyond the edge of the roof by at least one meter. It is best to organize a helper who stabilizes the ladder from below.
If you find it difficult to reach the eaves, or if you live in a house with several stories, you should hire an expert with a pallet truck from the outset to clean the gutter. Maybe it has to climb onto the roof – for “small” do-it-yourselfers an absolute risk!
Prevent new deposits in the gutter and downpipe
To prevent blockages of the gutter and the downpipe, products for gutter protection such as leaf guards or a gutter screen from specialist retailers are recommended. The practical helpers for little money are clamped when mounting the gutter and protect them from blockages by leaves and flowers.
Advantage: You can easily remove the tools from the gutter at any time and clean them with the help of a garden hose.
How much does a professional gutter cleaning cost?
If homeowners opt for a professional gutter cleaning, depending on the region, they have to reckon on costs of 2.50 to 3.50 dollars per meter (including value-added expenses). Since the professionals also rid the gutter boxes of dirt, this work also costs about seven dollars per box.
Also, depending on the company, further additional costs may come to you. The specialist companies, for example, often require an arrival and departure fee. The height of your house and the type of roof determine the final sum. At extra cost can also lead to waste disposal.
Good to know: In the course of a professional roof cleaning, you suggest the expert note defects or mistakes. You can self-seal and repair small holes and cracks in the gutter. Here, fast action is required, as severe consequential damage in the repair can be expensive. If you rely on this approach, the professional roof cleaning cleverly uses cost-saving.
