Gutter Cleaning Tutorial [Ultimate DIY]

Gutters are an essential part of any roof as they provide a resistance free way of moving large amounts of rain water away from the foundation of the house.

Even houses with flat roofs and terraces have some way to drain rain and snow melt water from the roof as to reduce the risks of water damage to the property.

Gutters are channel like structures which generally have a U shape, connected to the head board of the rood end using specialized spring loaded brackets. Older gutters were made from cast iron and galvanized steel, however, modern gutters are generally made from PP plastic.

Why is it Important to Clean Gutters Regularly

Gutters are used to channel rain and snow melt water from the base of the house, to the sewage system or an open earth-based drainage system. Their efficacy relies on the lack of blockages which are most commonly created from leaf and small twig matter from surrounding trees.

Refuse blocked gutters will reduce or fully restrict water flow which will dam up and start to gather in the lowest places putting extra strain on those places, making them sag, breaking the seam between the different segments. The more refuse gathers in the U channel gutters, the worse the water flow will be.

The biggest issue with gutter blockage is the overflow of water above the lip, near the base of the property, which could potentially cause foundation damage and increase moisture in subterranean structures such as cellars and basements.

Another reason to clean your rain gutters and prevent water collection is because standing water is the perfect breeding ground for mosquitoes as well as other disease carrying bacteria.

Main Reasons to Clean your Gutters at Least Once a Year

The winter is one of the most challenging times for any home due the collection of large amounts of snow and ice on the roof. It’s even more challenging for your rain gutters because they endure an almost constant weight presence of both solid and liquid H2O.

The biggest issues with blocked rain gutters are ice dams, which is ice bound to leafs and twigs creating a serious barrier for water flow.

Water being what it is, it always finds a way out and unfortunately it’s most often into and through the fascia of the house.

This causes leakages under the roof space, which can cause rot, mold, and serious issues all over the property.

Clean gutters will remove the risks of water rolled ceilings and roofs, and will increase the overall safety of your property.

Our team managed to surmise and boil down the reasons for cleaning your gutters to:

• Landscape protection;
• Less ice hanging during the winter;
• Prevents ice dams;
• Reduce chances of water damage to roof;
• Makes for better rain flow.

Preparing for Gutter and Roof Cleaning

Removing refuse, leafs and twigs from your roof and gutters does not require specialized cutter cleaning equipment. There are several things you will need in order to make this job easy:

• A wide base ladder;
• A bin bag lining a bucket;
• Watertight gloves;
• Weather appropriate clothing.

There’s no need for a specialized gutter cleaner, however, it’s important for the ladder you use, to be long enough and wide enough to provide a stable base as to avoid it slipping while under load.

How to Clean Gutters

The process of cleaning gutters is quite simple and is perfectly suitable for DIY work. As long as you have a secure ladder and enough time, you can use a garden trawl which you can use to scoop any and all refuse from the gutters.

The EasyCleaningLondon team suggests that all DIY gutter cleaners use rubberized boots as to prevent slipping on the damp or wet steps of the ladder.

All gutter clearing should be done in clear weather as to reduce the chance of accidents as well as to make the weight of the collected refuse easier to manage.

Using your hand or a trawl, start from one end and move to the next. Be sure to not overreach beyond your immediate vicinity just to be safe.

This is a great time to check whether or not your property needs gutter maintenance. Check and see how the seams between the different portions meet – they should be flush and no gaps should be present.

Signs you Should go for a Gutter Cleaning Service Instead

While gutter cleaning service in London is a theoretically simple job, in reality it’s time and effort demanding. While lower houses are easier to clean, a house higher than two stories is harder to clean.

These are the specialized services which know how to clean gutters from the ground without the use of ladders. It saves times and effort and is quite a lot safer than climbing and reaching over high altitudes.