Roofing Advice: How to Clean out Rain Gutters

Be Safe

Safety is first and foremost. Wait for a day with clear weather and little to no wind. Working in other conditions can jeopardize your well-being and make the job a lot more difficult. Because the work will be done on a ladder, you need to find a sturdy one to work with. Place it on level ground and take a few steps up to ensure it isn't wobbly. This job can also be done with your working from atop the home on the roof, but you need to ensure that the roofing is able to hold you. You don't want to damage the materials and you don't want to work at a risky angle.

Dispose of the Debris

First, you need somewhere to put the materials you will be removing from the rain gutter. This could be leaves, dirt and other objects deposited by the wind. You can bring a bucket with you on the ladder, but this requires that you are very careful and constantly work to maintain your balance. You can also place a trash can, with a trash bag inside, near the ladder. As you move the ladder around the house, just move the trash can with you as well. Finally, you can also just dump everything onto the ground and clean it up at the end of the project. Choose what will work best for you considering safety and clean up. You want to have this roofing project complete without injury and a limited amount of mess.

Scoop Out the Gutters

Place heavy work gloves on your hands before beginning any roofing project. This protects you from any sharp edges you may come in contact with as well as objects that could be hazardous to your hands. Begin at the point fathers away from the gutters drainage point. Begin to scoop out anything found in the gutters. Take your time and work your way all around the house until the gutters are cleared of all larger objects.

Using your hands will not remove everything. There may be dirt build up that needs to be rinsed away. Again, start at the place furthest from the drain and bring a hose up the ladder with you. Spray water into the gutter to rinse away anything left. It may be necessary to increase water pressure to ensure that caked on dirt disappears. Be cautious as the pressure increases to keep your balance.

In some instances, homeowners should not try to clean out their own rain gutters. Call a roofing expert for help if you live in two or more story home, you are unable to climb a ladder safely, or you cannot achieve clean gutters with hand scooping.