Gutter Cleaning Tips

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Cleaning gutters is one chore most people overlook until the gutters actually overflow and cause some damage to their home or keep them awake at night. Then they take action. Regular cleaning is essential in prolonging the life of your gutters, roof, windows and siding. Rain flowing over the sides of your gutters onto various parts of your home will eventually cause rot. Overflowing gutters can also damage your landscaping. Water can even work its way into basements where it can cause extensive damage. Cleaning gutters twice yearly is the best way to avert these problems.

How do I actually get the debris out of the gutter?

• "The Gutter Cleaner" on a pole puts gutter debris in front of you so you can easily remove it.
• Choose one of the many scoops available on the market to assist you.
• Use "The Gutter Cleaner" to pack debris and hold it in the scoop as you lift it from the gutter.

What do you do with the leaves, mud and muck?

• Attach a sturdy "U" shaped steel hook (available at any hardware store) to the side of your ladder.
• Attach the hook so the bucket will hang under the bottom edge of the gutter.
• Then drop the debris into the bucket hanging under the gutter.
• NOTE: This works best when a stand off is attached to the ladder.

How do you keep debris from falling into the opening of the downspout when cleaning gutters?

• Clean the debris from both sides of the downspout opening first.
• With a quick movement, use "The Gutter Cleaner" to pull the debris covering the downspout to one of the already cleaned adjacent areas.
• This keeps the already packed debris together so very little of it actually falls into the downspout.

How do you keep from slopping muddy water on the sides of your gutters?

• Some spillage is inevitable but gutter mud and debris can stain paint.
• Take a sponge or rag to clean spills as you go along.

How do I clean the leaves from my roof valleys?

• Attach "The Gutter Cleaner" to a pole to reach & clean leaves and debris from roof valleys.
• Set your ladder near the roof valley, then reach up and pull the debris towards you for easy removal.