Yellow Directory – Gutters

Time and water can be damaging elements. Gutters prevent damaging water from running across windows and doors and down the sides of your house. They also channel water away from your foundation, reducing the chance that your house will someday be washed down the hill into your neighbour's driveway. The truth is that gutters are necessary, even though they can be a bother.

Gutters should be cleaned at least twice a year. Pick a good dry day. It will be more comfortable. Dry, loose leaves and small twigs can be removed with your hands, but use thick leather gloves so you don't cut yourself on any parts of the roofing.

You may encounter stubborn, caked build ups. If so, they may be more easily removed a little while after a rain when they are damp instead of dry and hard. Of course, you can always create your own rain with a water hose, but resist the urge to clean your gutters with water pressure. It seems like it would be so easy, but you might pack debris tightly into the downspouts, and dirty water might splash all over your house.

Inspect your gutters as you clean. Look for corrosion, holes, leaking joints or loose, missing or bent hangers. Mark problem areas with masking tape so you can find the problem spots quickly when you are ready to do the repairs.

Wear gloves to protect yourself from scratches, and have handy a garden trowel or gutter scoop, a whiskbroom and a rag. Put your tools in a bucket with a handle. The bucket should be fastened to your ladder with a wire hook. This will prevent you from having to juggle a lot of tools while climbing or descending the ladder. It will also remove the temptation of stuffing tools into your pockets — a hazard if you should happen to fall.

Using a gutter scoop, start cleaning a stretch of gutter at the downspout area. This is where debris usually collects, damming the water's path to the downspout. Work your way up the gutter, putting the collected debris into a bucket. (It makes great muck for the compost pile.)

It is a good idea to flush your gutters with a garden hose after you have cleaned them. This will show how well the gutters are draining and will indicate any areas that are holding standing water, which contributes to many gutter problems.

If you need a hand to find your local licenced gutter plumber, check your Yellow Directory.

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