Regular cleaning of gutters will not only make the gutters last longer but also may save you a lot of money in cleaning up blocked drains. Debris in a gutter can easily catch fire, which can spread inside the house. It may also cause an overflow of rainwater inside the leaves and allow water to penetrate inside the house through the ceilings. Debris and silt in the gutter will retain water and accelerate corrosion.
How to clean the gutters
• Most gutters in Australia are made up of aluminium/zinc-coated steel or galvanised steel, however, some are made of plastic or aluminium. Pushing a ladder against an aluminium or plastic gutter may damage the gutter, or worse, cause the ladder to fall.
• Block the gutter outlet over the downpipe with a rag, remove the debris and scrape the salt into heaps with a piece of plastic or wood.
• Sweep the gutter with a stiff brush.
• Remove the rag from the outlet and hose the gutter clean.
• Ensure that there is a balloon type plastic or metal grill over the outlet to prevent blockages from bird nests or large pieces of debris.
How often should you clean them?
Gutters should be cleaned at least twice a year. Situations with overhanging tree branches, however, may have to be done more regularly especially in autumn when leaves are falling off trees.
Using Ladders
Step ladders can be very dangerous and unstable if you stand on the top rung. Many serious accidents occur while using ladders. The following points should be noted before using a one.
• If the ground is soft, place the feet of the ladder on a wide and level board
• If the ground is hard, the ladder may slip away from the wall. Place a heavy bag (hessian bag filled with earth) at the base of the ladder.
• You may fix bolts to the wall below the gutter to tie your ladder to when working on guttering.
• Consider using lightweight metal ladders instead of heavy wooden ladders.
If you are looking for someone to clean your gutters, do not hesitate to call Mr Highlights Roofing today!