Cleaning your Gutters for April Showers

Gutters play an important role during rainstorm or snow melting. Gutters route runoff water from your roof to a safe place where it can drain away from your home. In doing so, they protect siding, windows, doors, and foundations from water damage and help prevent flooding in basements.

It is important to keep your gutters free from leaves and other debris. If your gutters aren’t cleaned out regularly, they will clog and overflow with water potentially causing the gutter to pull loose from the house. If the gutter doesn’t overflow but collects water is could cause wood gutters to rot and metal ones to rust.

If your roof has a low slope you can consider using a leaf blower to blow out leaves and debris. If you use this method be sure to wear goggles and a dust mask to prevent injury.

Below is the more conventional way to clean gutters. You will need a ladder, bucket to collect debris and be sure you have on thick gloves, goggles and non-slip shoes. Also, be sure the roof isn’t wet or icy and the weather conditions aren’t windy.

1. Clear out the leaves and loose debris:
Start at the drain outlet at the lower end of the gutter and clear the debris. If the debris is too wet then it’s best to use a small garden tool to clear it away. Have a bucket there to dump the debris to help make clean up easier.

2. Use a garden hose to rinse the gutter:
Once you have finished cleaning out the gutter use a garden hose with an attachment that has an on/off switch and preferably one with different speeds to rinse the gutter. Make sure you start at the opposite end of the drain outlet to make sure water flows properly.

3. Clear any obstructions in the drain pipes:
If you find when you’re doing your rinse of the gutters that water slows down or gets stuck in the drainpipe there could be something stuck in there. Use the hose to directly run water through the drainpipe to free the obstruction or you may have to use a plumber’s auger (snake) to free the debris.