There are many wonderful things that come with owning your own home: privacy, the freedom to decorate as you wish, and certain financial and tax advantages. We could go on, but you know what we mean.
There are also downsides, like regular maintenance you can’t just leave to a landlord or property management company anymore. Gutter cleaning is one of these tasks.
While it’s tempting to consider, gutter cleaning is not something you can skip. Regular gutter cleaning and maintenance protects your foundation and walls by ensuring they can properly divert water away from your home when it rains. If your gutters are clogged or in need of repair, they will overflow—and this creates the kind of big, expensive problems that every homeowner dreads, like water damage, foundation problems, gutter damage, and even insect and rodent infestations. (Read on for more on the bad consequences of not cleaning your gutters).
Regular gutter maintenance—including cleaning—will help you avert these problems. In this article, we share how to clean the gutters and how to choose the best gutter tool for the job.
How to clean the gutters
Gutter cleaning is not hard. If you don’t do it the right way, though, it can be risky. Any activity that involves getting on a ladder can introduce risk. In fact, according to data from the Centers for Disease Control (CDC), thousands of people are injured annually in ladder-related falls. These include accidents stemming from incorrect placement, angle, improper ladder selection, insufficient ladder inspection, and more.
Many gutter cleaning tools require you to climb a ladder to reach second-story gutters. Understanding this and evaluating potential gutter cleaning tools for safety and ease of use will help you learn the best, easiest, safest way to clean your gutters.
Choosing the best gutter tools
How do you choose the best gutter tool for the job? Here are six essential features to look for when considering various gutter cleaning tools:
- Safety. Let’s start with the most important factor. The safest way to clean gutters is to get the job done from the ground. If you don’t set foot on a ladder, you won’t have a ladder-related accident. Look for a gutter cleaning tool that enables extended reach or includes an extension pole so you can reach even second-story gutters from the ground without a ladder or roof access.
- Easy to use. The right tool makes gutter cleaning easy. Choose a tool that is easy to learn, easy to assemble, and easy to operate. When you do, you won’t dread the task as much.
- Effectiveness. Different kinds of debris clog your gutters, including leaves, twigs, pine needles, and dirt. The best gutter cleaning tool is effective at removing all types of debris.
- Compatibility with gutter types. Different homes have different types of gutters, including sectional and seamless gutters, made from materials ranging from aluminum to vinyl. Not all gutter tools are compatible with all gutter types – high-pressure nozzles for hose attachments can cause damage to certain types of gutters.
- Durability. The best gutter tools will stand up to regular use, various weather conditions, and the debris types discussed above. Of course, properly caring for your tools can help to extend their life.
- Cost. Popular gutter cleaning tools can include a system of hose attachments or wands, which can add up quickly. Be sure you understand the full cost of any tool system to avoid sticker shock.
There are a lot of gutter cleaning tool options on the market—but only Gutter Sense checks all the boxes. It’s an easy-to-use tool that attaches to a 12- to 20-foot extension pool, so you can clean your gutters more safely—and keep both feet on the ground. Gutter Sense is lightweight with a 14-inch grasp. It’s effective on dirt, leaves, muck, and pine needles, with angled tongs that can grab gunk from any type of gutters without scratching or damaging them. Made in the USA of glass reinforced impact-modified black nylon, Gutter Sense will last for years of gutter cleaning with proper care.
Best of all, at under $30, Gutter Sense is also a low-cost solution for easy gutter cleaning. Gutter Sense makes it easy to clean the gutters safely—from the ground.
See it in action and purchase online.