How to Clean Your Rain Gutters

March 5, 2019 | General

Gutters may be out of sight and out of mind, but keeping them clean is essential. In fact, rain gutters play a huge part in the structural integrity of your property’s roofline. When gutters become blocked or damaged due to debris, the results can be disastrous. Not only will there be obvious and visible damage, but the damp caused as a result can lead to health issues for you and those living in the home. That’s why cleaning your gutters is so important. Here’s a step-by-step guide that shows you how to clean your rain gutters.

Step 1

Make sure you’re fully prepared to climb up the ladder. While working at a height, your safety is of the utmost importance.

You want to make sure that the ladder is secure in place, and it’s recommended that someone waits at the bottom while you’re up at the top.

Step 2

With a small plastic scoop or narrow garden trowel, clear out any large pieces of loose debris. Start at the drain outlet and work your way away from it.

To make it easier to clean things up, either scoop the debris into a bucket or place a large tarpaulin on the ground so that you can dump the debris.

Handy tip: it’s often easier to do this when the debris is slightly damp.

Step 3

Once the leaves and large debris have been successfully removed, blast away any leftovers with a hose. You want to wash out the length of the gutter, this time working your way towards the drain outlet.

Step 4

If necessary, use a robust scrubbing brush to remove any encrusted dirt.

Step 5

If the water from the hose doesn’t flow freely through the drainpipe, you may need to carry out an inspection to make sure nothing is causing an obstruction. Continue using the hose to try and flush the debris through the drainpipe and out the other end. Alternatively, try to free the debris by pulling it out from the end it’s blocking.

How often should you clean your gutters?

To maintain a well-kept gutter system, it’s recommended that you clean your gutters at least once a year. If you live in a built-up area of overhanging trees, you may need to clean them twice as a year as it’s more likely that your gutters will catch falling leaves.

Read more about how to keep your roofline well-maintained in the rest of Avenir’s blog.