Cleaning out eavestroughs can be a pain. Leaves, debris, pebbles, and a lot of unknown gunk can get stuck up there. Most people clean out their gutter once a year, so you have to clean out a year’s worth of buildup. Most people are not bothered by it which can cause a whole host of problems from foundational cracks to ice dams to even attracting wildlife and pests! In this article, we will show you how you can do it the easy way without thinking too much about it! It can even end up being really satisfying!
Before we get to the actual cleaning part, it is important why cleaning out eavestroughs is something you need to do at least once a year. Eavestroughs or gutters as they are commonly called keep water away from the foundation of the property. If water gets into the foundation, the water gets absorbed and the foundation will expand causing it to crack. It can even show through cracks along the walls. When eavestroughs are not cleaned at least once a year, they eavestrough can get clogged. The rainwater has no other way to escape other than overflowing which ends up running down to the foundation of the property.
Now that you know why it is important to clean out your eavestroughs, we want to show you the easiest way to clean it out. Before you start cleaning, there are a few things you need to take along with you:
- Extendable ladder
- Tarp
- Gutter scooper or garden scooper
- Power drill
- Gutter hangers with screws
- Gloves
- Garden hose or power hose depending on how severe
To get to the gutter, you want to take the extendable ladder and firmly plant it on the ground at a 75-degree angle. Spread out a big enough tarp next to the ladder. Once you reach the gutter, you can start scooping it away with the gutter scooper or a garden scooper. Now scoop it out and drop it so it will hit the tarp. It is recommended that you do not stretch your arm all the way in the hopes of reaching the gunk. Instead, scoop out one section at a time and move the ladder and the tarp along. If you notice that a part of the eavestrough is loose, you need to reinforce it with a gutter hanger. These are available in hardware stores along with the screws. The reason why reinforcement is important is that water can travel between the gaps onto the foundation or walls.
Once you have all the debris or gunk on the tarp, the next step is to dispose of it. The gunk will go in the green bin since they fall under organics.
As you can read, cleaning out the gutter can be quite demanding and dangerous! At Gutter Cleaning Toronto we have the specialists available to do this for you at an affordable rate along with years of experience. Contact us now to schedule an appointment!