Fall Gutter Cleaning Tips

Chances are you're not as excited about fall clean-up as the little girl in the photo above. Cleaning your home's gutters in the fall can be an unpleasant task. We know you'd like to avoid those slimy, stinky leaves, but here are 5 reasons why cleaning your gutters is an important task.

  1. Prevent interior damage. Water is good at finding its way into our homes. If there’s a buildup of leaves and other debris in your gutters, water can pool and find its way into your ceiling. Left unaddressed, the water can cause wall rot and mold.
  2. Avoid foundation problems. A properly working gutter system helps keep water from entering your home and helps maintain your foundation.
  3. Deter pests and rodents. With season changes, pests are always on the lookout for a nice home. A gutter clogged with leaves can be a great place for rats, mice, and birds. Water pooled in gutters is also an ideal place for mosquitos to multiply. Eww, nobody wants this!
  4. Increase your roof life. Your roof has a tough job. Don’t add to an already difficult job by having clogged gutters. If water isn’t draining properly, it can damage your roof leading to repairs inside and outside your home.
  5. Help minimize the formation of ice dams. An ice dam is a ridge of ice that usually forms at the edge of a roof and prevents melting snow (water) from draining off the roof. A clogged gutter can accelerate ice dam formation.

Cleaning gutters can be more than unpleasant, it can be dangerous. Here are some tips to keep you safe and make the job a bit easier.

  1. Stabilize your ladder. We’ve all been there before, climbing onto a ladder that’s not properly stabilized because the job is only going to take a minute. However, for this job, it’s important to make sure you’re on solid ground. Consider asking for help. 
  2. Check out the scope of the job. Once your ladder is secure, look at your gutters. Maybe you’ll be pleasantly surprised and the job won’t be that bad. If that’s not the case, at least you’ll be able to gather the appropriate tools.
  3. Lay down a tarp. A tarp can help protect your landscaping from falling tools, powerful pressure washer streams, and fallen gutter debris.
  4. Dress for success. No matter what job you’re performing, it’s important to dress properly. For this job, closed-toe shoes, gloves, a long-sleeved shirt, jeans, and eye protection should do the trick.
  5. Be cautious when using a pressure washer. If not used properly, pressure washers can be dangerous.

For more cleaning and safety tips from West Bend, click here. 

If your roof is too high or you just don’t have the right tools for the job, or if being on a ladder makes you nervous, call a professional. While clean gutters are an important part of home maintenance, it isn't worth getting hurt doing.