Gutter Cleaning?

[BQuicksilver]

For those of you who have mature trees in your area, how do you go about cleaning the gutters? Any tools/tips that have worked?

I have a ranch, so it's not a huge issue getting on a ladder 10ft up, but it's still a messy slow slightly dangerous job that i'd like to do more efficiently.

Tips?

 

[Jagmandave]

They make an inexpensive kit (I've seen a Craftsman version) that consists of some straight pipe extensions with a flexible U on the end, you hook it to your shop vac or even better yard blower, set it in the gutter and let it blow!

My neighbor across the street made one out of some sections of alluminum downspout, it fits right over his yard blower and is very lightweight.

This way, you stand on the gournd and no ladders are used and no homeowners are killed or injured in the process of cleaning the gutters!

I have pin oaks and tried to use the screen type gutter covers and they did work for keeping leaves out, but the gutters still filled up with dirt and other debris till they were completely filled. I took them off and now use this device, it works easily and does the trick!

 

[PCO6]

I just had my roof reshingled and the gutters replaced. I got quotes from 3 contractors and each of them recommended against having gutter guards installed. Each one said that in their opinion there isn't a system that works properly and it wasn't worth the expense. Each of them said they would install them if I picked a system I liked and none of them said it would effect their waranty. BTW - none of them knew I was also talking to 2 other guys although they probably assumed I was getting other quotes. I was surprised by this and the consistancy in their answers.

Two of them said that what Jagmandave is doing is the way to go (using a leaf blower). The other one suggested I hire a kid to clean out my gutters but that ain't going to happen.

 

[steven083008]

I get a **** ton of pine needles and a good bit of leaves on my roof. I have to clean the gutters at least 6 times a year if I want to keep it decent. The best solution I have found is walking on the roof w/ a backpack leaf blower and a 3-prong hand cultivator on an extension pole (mine is taped to it.) The leaf blower will get almost everything, but the cultivator gets out the heavy stuff or when it gets wrapped around a gutter nail.

Hand cultivator

 

[TexasSpartan]

While I realize that the power on it is probably lacking from a big-job standpoint, I was actually planning on picking up one of the craftsman C3 leaf blowers for exactly this project (new place has a ton of gutters, and a ton of trees.)

Has anyone tried that yet?

 

[BHH]

I just get up on a ladder, grab the pressure washer, put the highest setting nozzle on it and in 1 minute I am done. I usually don't even have to move the ladder.

 

[Jeeper]

I bring a gas powered blower up on the roof and blow everything out.

 

[Slip_Kid]

I bring a gas powered blower up on the roof and blow everything out.

I do the same, blower from the roof.

 

[blueflame6]

Been doing what Jeeper says for over 10 years now, faster than a ladder and bucket. Just be careful "walking the edge"..........

 

[Outlawmws]

I have a lot of trees and also got a lot of leaves that had to be periodically cleaned out of the gutters. After trying several methods Garden hose, scoops etc), an electric leaf blower works the best.

Two years a go we installed some flat white plastic gutter guards that are perforated, about three feet long, and snap into the edge of the gutter. for corners and trimming the last section to length. It cut easily with tin snips for most of the width, and we only use a small hack saw on the thicker clip area. Real quick to do.

These slip under the bottom course of shingles (we have composition) and the clips are more than sufficient to keep them anchored. I don't know if you have snow to deal with (I don't), that may be a deal breaker for you if it keeps the snow from sliding off?

 

[Givl Reggin]

A gutter cleaning robot - http://www.amazon.com/dp/B000WL4QAW/?tag=atomicindus08-20

 

[Greatbear]

Got a decent pressure washer? Get one of these:

3000psi Dual Gutter Cleaning Nozzle

And enough of these to reach, if needed:

36 in. Extension Wand

Or if you have a really high roof, one of these:

18 ft. Telescoping Extension

...and thank me later.

Normally I would head up on the roofs about twice a year with the pressure washer gun in hand and blast out the gutters. The last three years made getting up on a ladder impossible for me due to injuries and surgeries. I found the dual nozzle last year and bought it to give it a try. It works great. It is basically a pair of "turbo" rotary nozzles back to back attached to a curved extension. Connect this to a ~2500psi pressure washer, hook it over the gutter and hit the trigger. The nozzle will clean in two opposite directions at once, you simply move from one end of the guttering to the other , and this thing will clean out ANYTHING in the gutters. Being that it has two opposing nozzles, there is no recoil to contend with whatsoever, this is very important if you have any sort of extensions attached. Since the water is sprayed away from the center where you stand, you don't get wet either. when you get to the end with the downspout, simply hook the nozzle onto the edge of the gutter to aim one of them down the spout to clean up. No ladders necessary.

Those familiar with the last Star Wars movie will know why I call this the "Darth Maul Nozzle"

 

[G1GRANDEUR]

A gutter cleaning robot - http://www.amazon.com/dp/B000WL4QAW/?tag=atomicindus08-20

Awesome.

They also make little scope made for gutter cleaning.

 

[Rickster]

I have a huge tree in back that fills my gutters to overflowing every year. It's time this week to get the ladder out and get up on the roof. I use my Craftsman leaf blower and start on one end and blow them clean. Then it's a hose-down with the garden hose with a driveway sweeper nozzle.

One time I finished up and pulled up the 100' ft cord, wound it up and tossed it off the roof. Unfortunately I tossed it right past the kitchen window. The wife was at the sink doing dishes when she saw something fly by and hit the ground with a "WUMP". She thought it was me and freaked out. Came running out and gave me hell when she saw me climbing down the ladder!

 

[Straightgrain]

I have 9 big trees iin my yard. I've tried the gutter guards, but found them to be less than reliable. I tried a leaf blower, but found that it's a real hassle to sweep up the mess after it's been blown 20' in all directions. I never tried a vacuum. I've settled on an ladder, a 5 gallon bucket, a bucket hook and a pair of gloves.

 

[Innovate1]

I have been doing the ladder and 5 gal bucket to scoop them out but went with some gutter screens from Menards for the shop building and they seem to be working fine. I priced gutter guards from the gutter company and the price was crazy high so did it myself. Have the guards for the house but they aren't on yet. I did the small screens that go into the downspouts for a while but they are almost worse than nothing as they catch some stuff that would just go down the downspout and back up things.

 

[four.cycle]

I used a shop vac like that lady in the photo above in post #2 on my sister's geodesic dome - there was no way to get up on the "roof" (such as it was.)

If the roof pitch isn't too steep, I have about 30 feet of hose for the shop vac and I just walk along the edge of the roof and **** out the junk. That "elbow" thingie is kind of a pain in the *** to use.

My house doesn't have those aluminum gutters - mine are a trough that I just blow out with an electric leaf blower. Works great.

Climbing up on a ladder and trying to shovel muck out of gutters is for the birds - good way to break your neck and it makes a hell of a mess of the flowerbeds.

 

[BigMike782]

I have a handheld gas leaf blower that is set with a Stihl gutter cleaning kit and stays that way.
Once a year I go on the roof and clean the stick off and also to inspect the roof.

 

[AC-WC]

I was doing my ranch gutters 2 or 3 times a year with ladder, hands and sometimes a scoop or shovel and got fed up and splurged on the leaf filter install. I'm not getting any younger so why do work I don't need to.