4 Tips to Keep Your Gutter System Clean

Water has the potential to cause significant damage to the home, and along with maintaining the roof, you want to look at giving the guttering a regular service. If the downspouts and gutter channels aren’t cleaned at least once or twice a year, they are less likely to be working properly. Here are four useful tips for keeping the gutter system clean:

Blocked gutters

The most concerning issue is when the guttering system is fully blocked. This means any overflow of rain has a high risk of running down the side of the property. Fully blocked gutters are generally more of a concern than having no gutters in place. The debris and water heavy gutters have the potential to cause damage to the fascia boards. Plus, this damage to the gutter could soon be noticed in the winter if the blocked water starts to freeze and causes cracks to the gutter channels and downspouts.

Clear gutters when backed up

A great time to clean the gutters is after the autumn leaves have finished falling; after a heavy downpour; or after the heavy seeds and flower heads have dropped in the spring. Plus, for those homes with plenty of large trees nearby it may be helpful to clean more often than the general rule of once or twice every 12 months.

Use a gutter scooping tool

The most effective solution to get the leaves, moss, twigs, etc. out of the cutter channel is to use a purpose made gutter scooping tool . However, if you don’t have one to hand when you want to complete this work it is possible to make your own. This is achieved by cutting a rectangular shape from an empty plastic bottle. Alternatively, it can be just as easy to use your hands to clear the debris. Avoid scrapping the surface of the gutter with a sharp edge because this can cause damage. If any scrapping is needed, try to use a scrubbing brush with a nylon-bristled head.

Flush the guttering

Use a garden hose to help completely flush out the guttering system. This helps to clear any debris left over after hand scooping the waste. The hose is great for checking the efficiency of the downspout. If the water doesn’t run clean though the downspout there is likely to be a blockage. Clear this by dismantling the pipe until the blocked part is found and removed. Other options include using a plumber’s snake to push the debris down to the bottom of the pipe.

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