July 5, 2023
βYou know what's one of the most neglected parts of almost every home we service in Northern Utah? The gutters. And honestly, who's to blame? Because cleaning gutters is literally the last thing on anyone's mind until they're overflowing (and even then, does it really matter).
Well, here's the truth. I remember meeting up with a water damage restoration contractor and talking a little business. I mentioned to him that we clean gutters on a regular basis for customers and what he said next surprised me.
He told me that clogged gutters are the #1 reason that people's interior walls (as well as their basement walls) are damaged. When gutters overflow they seep behind the siding and damage the sheeting, insulation, and even the drywall, leaving you with a few pricey repairs. Β Now here's the deal. Gutter cleaning doesn't need to be nasty, it doesn't need to be a mess, and honestly... it doesn't need to take you all day π€·ββοΈ
So, that being said, here's 3 simple tips to help get those gutters cleaned out.
Honestly, these help a ton. When you're cleaning the gutters on your home, you're going to be spending a lot of time on a ladder or on your roof. Stabilizers are simple ladder attachments that spread out the points of contact across the home, and they help keep you from becoming the next viral fail video by keeping you stable while you lean or scramble up onto your roof.
You can pick one of these up for less than $60 at your local Home Depot and depending on which ladder you have you can find one that simply clicks onto one of the rungs. Here's a link in case you're interested.
These have made my life so much easier when cleaning gutters. Like seriously, hand scooping sucks. It cuts up your fingers, gets a bunch of dirt and grime under your fingernails, and when you're finally finished your hands smell like fish. Funky, I know. But gutter scoops make your job way easier. They literally get under all those leaves, dirt, and grime, and keep everything a lot cleaner. I usually just carry a bucket with me as I scoop and oftentimes I can break off solid pieces of gunk 3 to 4 feet long and place them in my bucket.
Gutter scoops are literally $3, will last you for years, and I'd suggest one to anyone wanting to clear out their own raingutters.
If you don't have a ton of debris in the gutters, a leafblower is literally your best friend. No joke. If you're willing to clean up whatever falls on the ground, and your roof is shallow enough to walk, you can literally have your gutters cleaned within an hour, max. While we almost always scoop and bag the leaves in your gutters before we blow them out, I tend to walk along the edge of the gutter before finishing and blow everything towards out, pretty simple.
And the best part is leafblowers aren't that expensive. You can get one for around $100 and use it for everything from cleaning up gutter debris to blowing grass clippings off your lawn.
βIn conclusion, cleaning your gutters should be done at least once a year, and with the right tools it can be quickly and safely. And the best part of it all is that it really doesn't have to be a big project, especially when you keep up on the work. If it's honestly something you hate doing, or you're terrified of heights, well, we might be able to help π
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