How to Clean Gutters from the Ground
Now that fall is in full swing and winter will be here before we know it, it’s time to start planning ahead for the cold season by winterizing your home. Winters in Minnesota can be unpredictable, but one thing you can count on is plenty of ice and snow.
If you don’t have an annual fall home maintenance checklist, it’s a good idea to print one up and start getting your home ready as soon as possible. While gutter cleaning is an important fall chore list item, safety is essential. Before you drag out the ladder and start digging out your gutters, there’s a better way.
In this post, our team at Powers Premier Contracting has put together a guide to safely clean your gutters from the ground. To learn about gutter cover solutions and forget about gutter cleaning altogether, give our gutter installers a call.
Your Fall Maintenance Checklist
Before winter sets in this year, it’s important to make sure your house is ready for ice, snow, and extreme temperatures. Additionally, you’ll want to conduct any necessary maintenance that could be worsened by extreme winter weather.
If you don’t have a maintenance checklist, use the list below to get started:
✔ Check your carbon monoxide and smoke detectors.
✔ Bring any paint you’re storing outside into a moderate temperature inside your home.
✔ Seal your window air conditioners with foam, caulking, and weatherstripping.
✔ Winterize your sprinkler system.
✔ Drain your garden hoses.
✔ Have your chimney professionally cleaned and checked.
✔ Store your lawn furniture for the winter.
✔ Have your furnace checked.
✔ Clean and store your lawnmower.
✔ Have your roof inspected.
✔ Check your attic for signs of animals and pests.
✔ Clean your gutters and check their condition.
✔ Check your windows for signs of broken or damaged frames.
Safely Cleaning Your Gutters
While cleaning your gutters might seem like a relatively straightforward task, it’s easy to underestimate how difficult it can be to clean your gutters safely. Like roof maintenance, gutter maintenance can be dangerous when you don’t have the right training and experience.
These are just a few of the hazards you can encounter when climbing a ladder to clean your gutters:
Some ladders can look and seem stable until you’re at the top of them. But underneath the weight of an adult body, any amount of ladder instability could present a very serious risk.
It’s always best when climbing a ladder to have someone at the base holding your ladder in place. Even when your ladder is in good condition, leaning too far or losing your footing could easily end in disaster without a spotter to keep you safe.
If there are power lines anywhere near your gutters, you can end up getting quite a shock while cleaning them. Be sure to check around your gutters before climbing the ladder.
A gutter filled with debris like leaves and twigs can look like a welcoming home for animals and insects. And the last thing you need while cleaning your gutters is to upset a critter and end up with a scratch or bite. Additionally, animal droppings in your gutters can carry pathogens and bacteria.
Cleaning Gutters from the Ground
Gutter cleaning is important and shouldn’t be skipped. Unfortunately, the best way to thoroughly clean your gutters is from a ladder. However, the safest way to get that level of gutter cleaning is to hire a professional gutter contractor.
If you want to clean your gutters yourself but you’d prefer to play it safe, it is possible to clean them from the ground by using one of these methods:
- Wet/Dry Vacuum Method
For this method, use a hose and curved attachment with your wet-dry vacuum. Starting at the end of your gutter, hold the attachment above the gutter system before turning on the vacuum. Work from one end of the gutter to the other and repeat. To get your gutters extra clean, spray them down with the garden hose and repeat.
- Power Washer Method
For this method, you’ll need to wear a raincoat or poncho and protective goggles. Purchase a telescoping and U-shaped attachment from a home improvement store and secure them to your power washer. Starting at one end of your gutters, position the attachment above them and turn on the power washer. Be sure to give your gutters plenty of time to drain as you go.
Work from one end of the gutters to the other. When finished, clean the outside of the gutters as well.
- Leaf Blower Method
For this method, you’ll need to use an extension attachment. If your leaf blower didn’t come with one, you can pick one up online.
Be sure to wear goggles to protect your eyes from all of the debris that gets blown out of your gutters. Position the leaf blower attachment above your gutter canals. Work from one end of your gutter to the other and repeat all the way around your house.
Gutter Cleaning and Maintenance in Minnesota
At Powers Premier Contracting, we provide a complete range of gutter maintenance services for your Minnesota home. To connect with a gutter contractor, call our exterior remodeling pros at 612-710-7283 or contact us online for a free estimate today.