5 Tips for Handling a Clogged Gutter
No one enjoys cleaning out their clogged gutters. It is annoying to climb up on a ladder and then dig a mess out of them. However, it is something that needs to be done frequently enough to prevent blockages and keep rain from spilling over.
Rain gutters keep water runoff from accumulating around your home, saving you from water damage and other unfortunate accidents. When they get clogged, the damage costs a lot more than the resources to clean them beforehand.
So, now that you know why you should clean your gutter, how do you keep it unclogged? Here are 5 tips for handling a clogged gutter.
1. Gutter Service
If you do not want to take on the task of removing a clog from the gutters yourself, you can always talk to a gutter service company. If you look up “gutter service near me” on your search engine, you can easily find companies willing to provide this service.
Keeping your gutter’s unclogged is beneficial to the structure of your home. You want to be sure that you routinely check on the status of your gutter and that water is not pooling around it or leaking from cracks.
If you feel unsafe cleaning your gutters up high, then you should hire a professional. They can help you and provide a quality service to unclog the system- or other essential gutter repairs.
2. Use a Garden Trowel
A garden trowel is your best friend when working to unclog a gutter by hand. To do this, start at the drain end by the lower side of the gutter. Use the garden trowel to remove or break up piles of leaves and toss them into a bucket below you.
This method works the best when the leaves are damp, but not soaked the whole way through. They clump together just enough so that you can easily scoop them up with the trowel and dispose of them.
3. Use a Leaf Blower
On the other hand, on a sunny day when the leaves are dry, then a leaf blower if your best friend. You will want to wear work gloves, a dust mask, and goggles when you use this method for your safety.
After using the leaf blower to remove any blockages from the gutters, you should also use it on the surrounding area. That way, you can blow away any potential debris of your roof that would otherwise end up running into the gutter later on.
Be sure that you have a reliable ladder when you do this method and that you stay away from the top two rungs. Carrying a leaf blower up on a ladder is no easy task, especially if you were already nervous about going up high in the first place. Remember, you can always contact a professional for help.
3. Try Installing Rain Gutter Guards
These are a great option to prevent any clogs from happening in the future. Simply installing gutter guards can prevent debris or leaves from entering your gutters. This greatly reduces the chances of a clog occurring.
There are plenty of rain gutter options to consider when replacing your system, however, you will want to consider getting these guards. They do wonders at preventing clogs from happening- saving you time, money, energy, and from worrying about what is going to happen to your gutters.
4. Unclog the Downspout without a Ladder
You can also unclog your gutter downspout easily without a ladder. This method works best if the gutter is clogged with leaves, twigs, pine needles, or other small, dry debris.
You can insert the end of your leaf blower into the bottom of your gutter downspout and try to push the clog through. If you break it up enough with airflow from the leaf blower, water will once again be able to pass through.
Sometimes, you may need to remove a clog from the downspout at the top of the gutter, meaning that you will need to use a ladder and garden trowel. However, if only the downspout seems to be blocked off, you can try blowing air through it first. You may not need to climb up if it works!
5. Trim Back Trees
Most blockages are caused by falling leaves or pine needles. If you notice frequent clogs taking up all your time, then you may want to try trimming back any nearby trees.
Of course, this does not mean that you should remove the entire tree! Just cut any branches back that seem to be too close to your gutters, and you will notice a huge difference in the amount of clogged gutters you receive.
Prevention is the best way to handle a clogged gutter, so that it does not happen again. You can save yourself a lot of energy by taking a few simple steps to avoid your spouts getting backed up.
Looking for Rain Gutters Near Me?
Those were 5 tips for handling a clogged gutter! Prevention is the best way to stop blockages from happening, however, if one were to occur you can easily remove the problem yourself. If you are not comfortable doing this, you can always ask for assistance from a professional.
If you experience frequent clogs in your gutter, your home’s structure may become damaged. To avoid this, you will want to install a gutter guard– they will keep any debris out of your gutter, meaning that you can easily avoid getting any clogs.
You may also want to check if your nearby trees are dropping leaves right onto your roof. Trees are beautiful in autumn, but the last thing you want is a clogged downspout ruining the scenery. If you trim your tree’s branches back away from your home, you may notice a lot fewer blockages in your drain system.
In short, there are plenty of methods to keep a blocked up gutter from becoming a much larger problem. If you need help, and find that you can not unclog it yourself, you can always contact a professional.