Knowing how to clean gutter is very important. Gutter cleaning can often be seen as a boring job. Not only that, it is a time-consuming and wearisome task compared to other chores within the home. However, gutter cleaning is extremely important to every homeowner. The potential problems that could arise from untended gutters are far more complicated, as well as pocket draining.
Gutters are the collecting system attached along the edges of your roof. They collect water running from your roof during massive rains. Gutters are essential to keep the heavy flow of water from falling directly into the sides of your house. Without gutters, the heavy downpour of water will damage whatever it hits below. Unfortunately, water is not the only thing that gutters collect. Due to winds and rains, different materials also find their way into our gutters. Debris such as dead leaves, twigs, dead insects and dirt accumulate within your gutters. Even kids’ toys, doggie bones and bird’s nest find their way up there! If left unattended, the accumulated materials will clog up and stuff up your gutters.
In order to clean your gutters, the first thing you must do is to plan ahead. Choose a day when you have no other things to bother you, such as a weekend. This is really important. It would be such a headache if you are constantly being interrupted in the middle of your cleaning. Also, choose a day that is fair. You cannot clean your gutters under extreme weather conditions. Intense heat will exhaust you and might possibly cause heat stroke. On the other hand, a rainy day will make your ladders slippery, which could lead to accidents.
Prepare all the tools you would need, and recruit the help of a friend who can assist you while you
perform this laborious task. Once you’re ready, set up your ladder securely before ascending your way to the gutters. Once you have reached the gutters, reach out as far as your hands can take you, and start removing all unwanted materials using a gutter scoop. You can either dump the trash below, or collect them in a trash bag. After removing the debris, wash the gutters off with water coursing from your garden hose. This will flush away any remaining dirt. Next, proceed to scrubbing and brushing. Your gutters are bound to be filled with slimy black spots and grime. This can be eliminated by using a gutter brush. The gutter brush usually has a long handle that will enable you to cover more sections of your gutters. After brushing, get the garden hose and do a final washing to completely remove all the dirt.
Before calling it a day, be sure to check for any breaks or damages present in your gutters. See to it
that your downspouts and draining systems are clear and free from any blockage. Make sure that the gutters are still intact, and all attachments are working properly. Also check that the water flows and drains smoothly. Once you’ve ascertained that your gutters are still in excellent working condition, then you can put aside all your worries and give yourself a deep breath of relief, because finally you have accomplished your biggest task of the day.
Knowing when, why and how to clean your gutters will ensure the success of cleaning your home
gutters.
Useful words
how to clean gutters, how to clean out gutters, , how to clean rain gutters
Wednesday, June 1, 2011
Tuesday, May 31, 2011
How to Unclog a Downspout.
Clogged downspouts can cause a big mess around your home. What is the best method for 'how to unclog a downspout'. A clog happens when water is blocked from going down the drain. Typically, the easiest way to unclog a down spout is to remove the debris that is just above the downspout that migt be causing the drain to get clogged. When you do this, you need to be especially careful not to cause another clog. Do this by not allowing addition debris from the gutters to go down into the downspout.
If the clog is inside, it may take a little more work. Three things I have used include a gutter snake, (toilet snake), a hose end, and even a wire coat hanger. Each works best for a different type of clog.
A small garden hose can be used to unclog soft clogs that are cause by dirt and and leaves. Simple slid the end into the down spout and turn the hose on full blast. If the clog is easy, it will come right out and water will start flowing down the downspout again.
Difficult clogs will require a snake. Because gutter downspout are much smaller then toilets, you will want to use the thinnest snake you buy. Then snake the top until you get to the second turn in the gutter. Pull out whatever you can and the remainder of the clog will be flushed down.
Coat hangers, are a little more smaller then a snake and almost as strong. They are good at removing bits of wood that clog gutters on shake roofs. The one disadvantage is that they are often not very long. They work well for the first bend in the gutter but not very well for the second.
If you still can't unclog it, you may have to take the downspout of, clean it and then carefully reattach it to the house. When you do this, remove the nail on one side of each support bracket. Remove the downspout that is clogged. Turn it up side down and shake it or flush it with water. The clog in the down spout should then come right out. You can also look through it or tell by the weight whether it is still clogged. After you are done cleaning it, re attach it to the hose. Make sure the down spout is in the same location.
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?
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)