Here’s Everything You Need to Know When It Comes to Cleaning Your Gutters

When it comes to clogged gutters, the best way to clean them may not be instinctual for most homeowners. However, cleaning them as soon as you can is crucial for avoiding gutter damage and ensuring that your gutters and roof stay in healthy condition. Glick’s Exteriors is here to help give you the techniques you need to care for your gutters the right way! Our experts have put together a helpful checklist with everything you need to know so you can clean them correctly, prevent gutter damage and keep your home safe.

Get Rid of Any and All Debris

Before you show your gutters any real attention, the first step is to remove any debris that you see on your roof or in your gutters. By doing this, you’ll be able to increase your chances of avoiding having to clean your gutters as soon as the next big storm comes your way. To help make clean up easier, you may want to place a bucket or tarp near you as you remove debris. If going up on your roof is too intimidating, we encourage you to contact a professional.

You’ve Got The Power

If your gutters have been filled with leaves, dirt, twigs and other types of debris, all of these things put unnecessary pressure on your gutters. When this happens, it can cause a variety of issues, such as interior leaks, roof damage, gutter damage, etc. To avoid this, you’re going to want to put the GOOD kind of pressure on your gutters, meaning that you need to clean your gutters with a power washer or garden hose — this will remove any leftover debris or dirt in your gutters. It’s important to note that you should always start on the opposite side of where your downspout is and work your way up to the spout area. Once you’ve given your clogged gutters a deep clean with high-pressure water, decrease the water pressure and let it run freely through your gutters — this will reveal if you have any leaks. If you DO see a leak — or any cracks or dents in your gutters — schedule a gutter repair or gutter inspection appointment immediately.

Show Your Downspouts Some Attention

The last step in making sure your gutters are working safely and efficiently is to check all of the downspouts — this will confirm that all of the debris has been removed properly and your downspouts are not clogged. Here’s how you can do this:

• Keep your hose turned off and place it right by each downspout
• Turn on your hose and look for flowing water — you should see it flowing out of your downspout
• If the water is not flowing properly, try using a hose attachment that will increase water pressure
• For severe clogs, opt for a plumber’s snake to remove the clog and get water flowing correctly
• If you’re still having issues, schedule a gutter repair appointment with a roofing expert

We hope that this checklist provides you with everything you need to know when it comes to cleaning your gutters! However, if you have questions or prefer to let a professional clean, repair, inspect or maintain your gutters, the Glick’s Exteriors team is here to help. Contact us today.