Since 2008 I have been working on cleaning out gutters for a lot of customers. As a full-time landscaper come I always had plenty of work to do in the spring summer and fall, but I didn't really have a lot to do in the winter. So that is when I started cleaning out gutters. I have probably cleaned out over 500 gutters in the last few years. Every time I do the job it seems to get easier because I become more adept and because I keep buying better tools.
There are two tools that I like to use that are not very expensive. I highly recommend these tools to you how is specially if you like to get the job done faster and you don't want to spend a lot of money to do the job right. The first tool is a gutter rake.
The first time that I bought this tool, a little skeptical. I thought maybe it was just a lot-it wasn't not help out very much. But then I started using it, and I was surprised at how much faster and easier it was to clean gutters around the house by using a gutter rake. I quickly discovered that the standard 5 foot pole that they give you at the rake isn't enough. So I went to Lowe's and I bought a 15 foot extension pole. I think I paid $30 for it, and at the time I thought man I am just using up with the money here. Soon however, I realize that having a 15 foot extension pole could save me a lot of time, especially on the houses that were not that bad. The way most houses work is that there is usually one of the four side that is really bad, and the other three are not. Most of the time, it is the side on the back of the house that gives you the most trouble. By using a gutter rake an extension point was actually able to clean the front and sides of the house twice as quickly. The reason why save so much time was because I didn't have to go up and down the ladder once for every 6 feet of gutter. Rather, I only have a go up and down the ladder once for every 30 feet of gutter. It really made a huge difference.
Another tool that I actually liked, I borrowed from a customer the first time I used it. It is called a gutters scoop. This tool only cost like three dollars, and it was definitely worth it. It really only saves a few minutes per house versus cleaning out the gutters by hand, but it keeps your hands from getting gross and covered in muck. Another advantage is that it also keeps your hands dry, which is a really good thing when it is wet and cold outside. I would definitely recommend a gutters scoop to anyone who has gutters to clean on a regular basis. There is a yellow scooper and a red one, the yellow one is really just a waste of money, you want to buy the red gutter scooper because it is much wider and works better on 80% of the houses. I have really enjoyed using a gutters do and a gutter rake to help me clean a lot of gutters.
Showing posts with label gutter rake. Show all posts
Showing posts with label gutter rake. Show all posts
Thursday, October 27, 2011
Thursday, August 4, 2011
Gutter Cleaning Tips - Start to Finish
Here are a few steps to make your gutter cleaning process easier from start to finish:
If you are a know how to clean gutters, great, this article will only help you to improve your skills that you already have.
As a professional gutter cleaner, I have cleaned out hundreds of gutters every year. Each time I clean out a gutter, I try and focus on how to do it faster and how to do a better job. I have found that it is normally best to start with clean gutters in the front of the house. This is because these gutters are the easiest most of the time. And you can feel great because you'll be moving quickly as you make an effort to clean that. If your house is only one story, and your wrist is not very steep, you can clean them simply by sitting on top of your roof and bending down and cleaning them out with your hand or with a gutters. You want to bring a bucket up along with you so you have some place but the degree that you do from the gutters. If your house is two stories, you'll be best to do it with a ladder. When I buy a ladder for gutter cleaning, I usually like by a 24 foot ladder with just all lakes. This will allow me to lease to the top of any two-story house. And it will also allow me to have a steady ladder as I climb up to clean them. Another tool that I have found helps me out immensely, is to have a small gutter snake, or toilet snake. This allows me to complete and effortlessly unclog all of the downspouts. A third tool which I like to use is a better rate. I put my gutter rate on the end of a 12 foot extension pole, and it does a great job at cleaning out gutters, especially those that are not completely full. By being able to clean out 12 feet on either side of the latter, I don't have to go up and down the ladder quite as many times, and I can still get the job done fairly quickly. If the roof is more than three stories, you will probably want to go back to cleaning it from on top of the roof. Only now, you'll want to make sure that you have a safety line and a safety harness. As you reach over the edge of the roof and clean out the gutters, make sure that you are safely anchored to the top of the roof. Safety, is your number one priority. Please be careful not to go on groups that have ice on them. Also be extremely careful when Bruce are slippery, or when you are cleaning the gutters on the corners of the house. As a general rule, a ladder that is less than 30 feet is safer than the root. When you are using a 30 foot ladder, make sure that you have a spotter that will help you put the ladder up, because if you are not used to it, you may be lacking in strength and balance.
If you are a know how to clean gutters, great, this article will only help you to improve your skills that you already have.
As a professional gutter cleaner, I have cleaned out hundreds of gutters every year. Each time I clean out a gutter, I try and focus on how to do it faster and how to do a better job. I have found that it is normally best to start with clean gutters in the front of the house. This is because these gutters are the easiest most of the time. And you can feel great because you'll be moving quickly as you make an effort to clean that. If your house is only one story, and your wrist is not very steep, you can clean them simply by sitting on top of your roof and bending down and cleaning them out with your hand or with a gutters. You want to bring a bucket up along with you so you have some place but the degree that you do from the gutters. If your house is two stories, you'll be best to do it with a ladder. When I buy a ladder for gutter cleaning, I usually like by a 24 foot ladder with just all lakes. This will allow me to lease to the top of any two-story house. And it will also allow me to have a steady ladder as I climb up to clean them. Another tool that I have found helps me out immensely, is to have a small gutter snake, or toilet snake. This allows me to complete and effortlessly unclog all of the downspouts. A third tool which I like to use is a better rate. I put my gutter rate on the end of a 12 foot extension pole, and it does a great job at cleaning out gutters, especially those that are not completely full. By being able to clean out 12 feet on either side of the latter, I don't have to go up and down the ladder quite as many times, and I can still get the job done fairly quickly. If the roof is more than three stories, you will probably want to go back to cleaning it from on top of the roof. Only now, you'll want to make sure that you have a safety line and a safety harness. As you reach over the edge of the roof and clean out the gutters, make sure that you are safely anchored to the top of the roof. Safety, is your number one priority. Please be careful not to go on groups that have ice on them. Also be extremely careful when Bruce are slippery, or when you are cleaning the gutters on the corners of the house. As a general rule, a ladder that is less than 30 feet is safer than the root. When you are using a 30 foot ladder, make sure that you have a spotter that will help you put the ladder up, because if you are not used to it, you may be lacking in strength and balance.
Friday, July 30, 2010
Using a Gutter Rake to Clean Gutters.
What Is a Gutter Rake?
A gutter rake tool specifically designed to make cleaning leaves, pine needles, twigs and other debris out of gutters easier and faster than other methods. Invented by a home maintenance contractor, it fits the most common sizes of gutters and will easy go under or over any support braces that are inside the gutters.
The head on gutter rakes are unique and make all the difference to using a pole or other similarly shaped tool. The straight end is used to pull the debris toward you while the curved part pushes it under the braces or struts. Because the head is tilted and angled back, it is able to easily get at what is in the gutters and “scoop” it along as you move the gutter rake.
The rake head is attached to a pole, around 5 feet long, so you can reach quite a bit of gutter on either side of you without moving your ladder. Usually they have a threaded end so you can attach them to a longer extension pole increasing the length of the tool for areas that are hard to reach or to quickly clean very long gutter sections.
When not attached to an extension pole, gutter rakes generally only weigh about a pound, which makes them lightweight and pretty easy to maneuver and control. They are not hard to manage as you stand on a ladder to clean out the gutters.
How to Use a Gutter Cleaning Rake
A gutter rake is simple to use. First you need to place your ladder on level ground so it is stable. Either position an A-frame ladder close to the gutters or use an extension ladder you can lean directly against the house, which will probably be more secure.
Then start pulling the debris through the gutter toward you so you can easily remove it. You can either attach a bucket or garbage bag to your ladder to collect the debris as you pull it out or you can throw it on the ground and clean it up later. Once you have cleaned out all of the gutters you can reach from where you are, you will need to move the ladder to the middle of another section of gutter to clean that area out again. As you work, you will be able to quickly figure out the best
places to put your ladder to most efficiently clean the gutters.
When to Use a Gutter Rake
Most gutters need to be cleaned out at least twice a year, usually in the spring and fall. However, if you live under a lot of trees that drop pine needles and leaves, you may need to clean them more frequently, maybe 3-4 times annually.
A gutter rake works best when the gutters are not completely crammed with debris, about half full or less. The debris can be either wet or dry, but the rake will be best for leaves and other lightweight materials.
Gutter rakes are great tools
A gutter rake can save you a lot of time when it comes to clean your gutters. You will have to go up and down your latter is much either. With a gutter rake and an extension pole put together, you can reach 15 feet on either side of the latter. This makes gutter cleaning a snap. To use a gutter rake simply put your latter up next to a downspout. Make sure that the area in front of the downspout is cleared out first. Then user gutter rake to clean out up to 15 feet on either side of the downspout. Pull everything towards you and loaded into a 5 gallon bucket. When you have finished cleaning out the area or when your bucket is completely full, take it down and throw it in the yard waste container. Using a gutter rake has helped me to cut down on the time it takes me to clean my gutters by as much as 50%.
Looking for a Portland Gutter Cleaning Service?
A gutter rake tool specifically designed to make cleaning leaves, pine needles, twigs and other debris out of gutters easier and faster than other methods. Invented by a home maintenance contractor, it fits the most common sizes of gutters and will easy go under or over any support braces that are inside the gutters.
The head on gutter rakes are unique and make all the difference to using a pole or other similarly shaped tool. The straight end is used to pull the debris toward you while the curved part pushes it under the braces or struts. Because the head is tilted and angled back, it is able to easily get at what is in the gutters and “scoop” it along as you move the gutter rake.
The rake head is attached to a pole, around 5 feet long, so you can reach quite a bit of gutter on either side of you without moving your ladder. Usually they have a threaded end so you can attach them to a longer extension pole increasing the length of the tool for areas that are hard to reach or to quickly clean very long gutter sections.
When not attached to an extension pole, gutter rakes generally only weigh about a pound, which makes them lightweight and pretty easy to maneuver and control. They are not hard to manage as you stand on a ladder to clean out the gutters.
How to Use a Gutter Cleaning Rake
A gutter rake is simple to use. First you need to place your ladder on level ground so it is stable. Either position an A-frame ladder close to the gutters or use an extension ladder you can lean directly against the house, which will probably be more secure.
Then start pulling the debris through the gutter toward you so you can easily remove it. You can either attach a bucket or garbage bag to your ladder to collect the debris as you pull it out or you can throw it on the ground and clean it up later. Once you have cleaned out all of the gutters you can reach from where you are, you will need to move the ladder to the middle of another section of gutter to clean that area out again. As you work, you will be able to quickly figure out the best
places to put your ladder to most efficiently clean the gutters.
When to Use a Gutter Rake
Most gutters need to be cleaned out at least twice a year, usually in the spring and fall. However, if you live under a lot of trees that drop pine needles and leaves, you may need to clean them more frequently, maybe 3-4 times annually.
A gutter rake works best when the gutters are not completely crammed with debris, about half full or less. The debris can be either wet or dry, but the rake will be best for leaves and other lightweight materials.
Gutter rakes are great tools
A gutter rake can save you a lot of time when it comes to clean your gutters. You will have to go up and down your latter is much either. With a gutter rake and an extension pole put together, you can reach 15 feet on either side of the latter. This makes gutter cleaning a snap. To use a gutter rake simply put your latter up next to a downspout. Make sure that the area in front of the downspout is cleared out first. Then user gutter rake to clean out up to 15 feet on either side of the downspout. Pull everything towards you and loaded into a 5 gallon bucket. When you have finished cleaning out the area or when your bucket is completely full, take it down and throw it in the yard waste container. Using a gutter rake has helped me to cut down on the time it takes me to clean my gutters by as much as 50%.
Looking for a Portland Gutter Cleaning Service?
Thursday, October 1, 2009
Gutter cleaning Tools like and Gutter Scoop and Gutter Rake
Gutter cleaning Tools like and Gutter Scoop and Gutter Rake
There are several different gutter tools you can use to clean out your gutters. Some of these tools include a leaf blower, a shop vac w/ long whole extensions, a gutter rake, and a gutter scooper. This article will describe which tool will work the best with which type of gutters.
What is a Gutter Rake, and When should I use one.
A gutter rake is a 4 to 5 foot tool that helps you extend your reach while on a ladder and clean up to six feet on either side of the ladder you are working on. The way it is designed is that it two different ends on it. The 1st end is just a straight piece and it is used to scrap the stuff in the gutters towards you when you are on the roof or on a ladder. The 2nd end of the gutter rake is curved and has an L at the end. This piece pushes the gutter debris under the gutter joints and move it closer to you so you can take it out with your hands.
The best gutters to use a gutter cleaning rake on are gutters with leaves and other lightweight debris in them and gutters that are less then half full. The gutter rake works great with both dry and wet gutters.
Using a Shop Vac to Clean Gutters
I have a gutter cleaning friend who always raves about how could a shop vac works. He use it with an extra long hose and sucks all the debris out of the gutters. It works best with medium to light build up. It seems to be a really quick and easy way to clean out gutters. I look forward to trying this method in the near future.
When should I use a leaf blower to clean my gutters?
Generally a leaf blower works best when the gutter are dry and the roof isn’t very steep. Gas blowers are far superior to electric because they are cordless and has more power. The clean out the gutters, simply walk along the edge of the roof and blow out excess debris. Then rake of the stuff underneath if needed. With smaller houses, leaf blower gutter cleaning can take less then an hour. If gutter has water or mud in them drain before blowing and make sure to remove patio furtiture off of the back porch before beginning.
What is a gutter scoop and how to make one?
A Gutter scoop is an interesting tool that will help you clean you gutters. If you want to make your own, you can simply cut up a milk jug and use it as a gutter scoop. We actually recommend a store bought one because it will often have a better design, last longer, and work better at removing heavy gutter debris out of your gutters. A gutter scoop works well with any gutter, it can be used in conjunction with a gutter rake or a shop vac.
Gutter rake substitutes or how to make a gutter rake – If you don’t want to buy a rake, you can use a hoe or even just a pole, but it will take a little longer.
There are several different gutter tools you can use to clean out your gutters. Some of these tools include a leaf blower, a shop vac w/ long whole extensions, a gutter rake, and a gutter scooper. This article will describe which tool will work the best with which type of gutters.
What is a Gutter Rake, and When should I use one.
A gutter rake is a 4 to 5 foot tool that helps you extend your reach while on a ladder and clean up to six feet on either side of the ladder you are working on. The way it is designed is that it two different ends on it. The 1st end is just a straight piece and it is used to scrap the stuff in the gutters towards you when you are on the roof or on a ladder. The 2nd end of the gutter rake is curved and has an L at the end. This piece pushes the gutter debris under the gutter joints and move it closer to you so you can take it out with your hands.
The best gutters to use a gutter cleaning rake on are gutters with leaves and other lightweight debris in them and gutters that are less then half full. The gutter rake works great with both dry and wet gutters.
Using a Shop Vac to Clean Gutters
I have a gutter cleaning friend who always raves about how could a shop vac works. He use it with an extra long hose and sucks all the debris out of the gutters. It works best with medium to light build up. It seems to be a really quick and easy way to clean out gutters. I look forward to trying this method in the near future.
When should I use a leaf blower to clean my gutters?
Generally a leaf blower works best when the gutter are dry and the roof isn’t very steep. Gas blowers are far superior to electric because they are cordless and has more power. The clean out the gutters, simply walk along the edge of the roof and blow out excess debris. Then rake of the stuff underneath if needed. With smaller houses, leaf blower gutter cleaning can take less then an hour. If gutter has water or mud in them drain before blowing and make sure to remove patio furtiture off of the back porch before beginning.
What is a gutter scoop and how to make one?
A Gutter scoop is an interesting tool that will help you clean you gutters. If you want to make your own, you can simply cut up a milk jug and use it as a gutter scoop. We actually recommend a store bought one because it will often have a better design, last longer, and work better at removing heavy gutter debris out of your gutters. A gutter scoop works well with any gutter, it can be used in conjunction with a gutter rake or a shop vac.
Gutter rake substitutes or how to make a gutter rake – If you don’t want to buy a rake, you can use a hoe or even just a pole, but it will take a little longer.
Monday, September 28, 2009
Need a Gutter Rake or Gutter Scoop?
What is a Gutter Rake?
A gutter rake is a 4 to 5 foot tool that helps you extend your reach while on a ladder and clean up to six feet on either side of the ladder you are working on. the way it is designed is that it has a long handle
Do Gutter rakes really work?
What is a gutter scoop and how to make one?
Gutter rake substitutes or how to make a gutter rake?
A gutter rake is a 4 to 5 foot tool that helps you extend your reach while on a ladder and clean up to six feet on either side of the ladder you are working on. the way it is designed is that it has a long handle
Do Gutter rakes really work?
What is a gutter scoop and how to make one?
Gutter rake substitutes or how to make a gutter rake?
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)