First, to maintain the gutters, it is important to be at least two. Like all work performed at height or dangerous, the risk is reduced when there are several; the other person can here ensure the holding of the ladder and avoids the person who raises too many round trips. And in case of a fall, this person can help the first much faster. But beware, it is important for this “apprentice” not to stay at the vertical of the first, to avoid the risk of a violent blow if the person who is mounted drops a tool.
Start by cleaning the downspouts from the bottom. If you are equipped with a high-pressure cleaner (Kärcher type) and a gutter cleaning kit, all you have to do is get it into the gutter and let it progress by removing the plugs and cleaning the walls automatically. . Otherwise, it will be necessary to proceed with the hand using the evacuation eyes. Special attention should be paid to the level of the elbows which are the places where the plugs of leaves and small branches are generally formed. Once the descents have been emptied, rinse them with water.
Cleaning the upper parts of the gutters
Then place the scaffolding, if you have one, or the ladder on which you will have mounted your front spreader (to avoid damaging the gutters by pressing the ladder on it) at the top entrance of the descents. The ladder must be well secured at the top and bottom, and it is very important to maintain a sufficient angle between the ladder and the wall to avoid any risk of falling.
Remove anything that can clog the gutter (small branches, leaves, tassels, etc.) with your gutter shovel. If foams are installed, clean them with your brush. Rinse everything with the water jet.
Then move your scale one meter away from the descent, and clean this new area in the same way. Repeat this all along the gutter.
In case of leaks or if parts of the gutter are damaged, it may be necessary to repair (patch or reattach) or replace parts. If you do not, these could become a danger to people passing by, and traces could quickly appear vertically from leaks. If these leaks are important, the risk of infiltration could also reappear.
Finally, if you want to simplify your future cleaning of gutters, you can have installed by a professional crapaudine (pieces that prevent the leaves from falling downhill), or better, stop-leaves (grids located along the gutters that prevent the leaves from entering and obstructing them). Gutter maintenance will no longer be a formality!
Gutter maintenance: at what price?
An aluminum sliding ladder will cost you from € 130 up to several hundred euros depending on its size and quality. You can find a front spreader for 80 to 100 €.
If you want to equip yourself with a pressure washer, the first prices are around 60-100 €, but the classic and more complete versions have much higher prices. Regarding the pressure gutter cleaning kit, that proposed by Kärcher is sold 85 € in some specialty stores.
Finally, a set of tools for cleaning, including the gutter and a brush, can be bought for fifteen euros.
If you are not equipped with these materials, do not hesitate to have the gutters cleaned by a professional. It will be much cheaper for you while avoiding taking risks!
In the same category