Gutter Cleaning Tools & Services

There is no way to get around it: gutter cleaning is a messy job. As a homeowner, it is your responsibility to decide if you are going to do the work or if you are going to hire someone to do it for you. Either way, it must be done.

Rain gutter cleaning will cost around $200 on average, according to national figures, though the price has been shown to soar to about $900 in some metropolitan areas. Most companies list gutter cleaning prices for far less than $200; they can make a profit from volume, since the gutter cleaning business is always booming.

If you choose to hire a company to do gutter cleaning, make sure you select one that is fully insured and bonded. Stick with companies that do both cleaning and installation. Once the cleaning is done, you may discover that you need some repair work. An experienced installer has a sharp enough eye to warn you about damages without you having to hire a completely different company. Be sure to check the company out through your local Better Business Bureau and talk to previous customers.

If you decide to do the work yourself, you should make sure you have the proper gutter cleaning tools. You will need a ladder for climbing, heavy-duty gloves to protect your hands and a water hose with a sprayer for rinsing the gutters once they are clean.

You may also find the following gutter cleaning equipment useful: a small trowel or similar digging tool, a bucket with an s-hook for hanging on the ladder, trash bags for cleaning up the debris once it is removed from the gutters, and a plumbers snake. 

Make sure you are wearing clothes that are weather-appropriate, but that are not too loose so that they pose a threat to getting caught in branches or house materials and jeopardizing your stability on the ladder. Clothing worn while cleaning rain gutters should also not be so tight that it restricts movement. Likewise, proper shoes should have good traction and be comfortable.

Gutter & downspout cleaning requires a systematic approach. Make sure to place all your tools near your cleaning position to make sure you can get to them. Start your process near the downspout and then try to steadily clean away from it. If you clean the downspout first, you do not want to work more debris back into the tract.

Use the trowel to scoop out debris and place it immediately in the disposable bag or bucket attached to the ladder. The plumbers snake can be used to completely clear out the downspout.

When you are done, use the water hose to finish getting your gutter clean.

Gutter cleaning frequency is determined by the number of trees that loom above your house. Ideally, houses with moderate tree quantities should be cleaned twice a year. When you can visibly see the leaves poking up out of your gutter, you notice water standing on your roof, or spilling over the side of your gutter, it is past time for a cleaning.

If you start to see wet spots in your basement or other damage, you have probably created a bill that is far more extensive than a gutter cleaning service.

Gutters perform the primary work of protecting the siding on your house as well as vulnerable basements, doors, windows and foundations from potential water damage. A gutter takes rainwater that slides from a roof and reroutes it from the roof to another space away from the house.

When your gutters are clogged with leaves and other debris and can no longer reroute water, it is indeed time for a cleaning. For more useful home improvement and maintenance ideas, visit Energy Saving Casa.