By the end of October, most of the leaves that were going to fall have landed, and a surprising number of them are sitting in your gutters. Left alone, that soggy mat can block downspouts, send rainwater spilling over the edge and, in colder climates, help ice build up along the roofline. Cleaning gutters isn’t glamorous, but on a single-story home it’s a very doable weekend job. Here’s how to tackle it carefully.
Know when to call a pro
Start with an honest look at your house. A single-story home with a level yard is usually fine for a careful DIYer. A two- or three-story house, a steep slope, nearby power lines, or a roof you’d have to walk on are all good reasons to hire a gutter or handyman service instead. There’s no shame in it, and a ladder fall is never worth the savings.
If you do go ahead, pick a dry, calm day. Wet rungs and gusty wind make everything harder.
What you’ll need
- A sturdy extension ladder or step ladder rated for your weight plus tools
- A ladder stabilizer or standoff (optional, but it keeps the ladder off the gutter itself)
- Thick work gloves and safety glasses
- A plastic gutter scoop or an old plastic spatula
- A bucket with a wire hook, or a tarp spread on the ground below
- A garden hose with a spray nozzle
- A plumber’s snake or long flexible brush for stubborn downspouts
- A helper to steady the ladder and pass up tools
Step 1: Set up the ladder properly
Place the ladder on firm, level ground. A common rule of thumb is to set the base about one foot out from the wall for every four feet of height. Extend it so it reaches a few feet above where you’ll be working, and never stand on the top rungs. Keep three points of contact (two feet and a hand) whenever possible, and move the ladder often rather than leaning out to reach. If you feel yourself stretching, climb down and shift it.
Step 2: Scoop from the downspout end
Start near a downspout and work away from it, so you aren’t pushing debris toward the opening. Scoop the leaves, twigs and grit into your bucket or drop them onto the tarp. Wet debris is heavy, so empty the bucket before it gets awkward to carry.
Look out for anything unusual as you go: shingle granules collecting in the trough, loose spikes or brackets, or sections that sag. Those are worth noting for later repairs.
Step 3: Flush with water
Once the bulk is out, run the hose along the gutter from the far end toward the downspout. The water rinses out fine grit and shows you whether the gutter drains properly. If water pools in one spot, that section may have lost its slope. Gutters generally need a slight fall toward the downspout to drain well.
Step 4: Clear the downspouts
If water backs up instead of disappearing, the downspout is clogged. Try spraying the hose up from the bottom opening first. If that doesn’t work, feed a plumber’s snake or flexible brush down from the top. Sometimes it’s easiest to unscrew the lower elbow and clear the jam by hand.
Check where the water lands, too. Downspouts should send water several feet away from your foundation. A simple extension or a splash block at the bottom can make a big difference.
Step 5: Make small repairs
While you’re up there, tackle the easy fixes:
- Tighten loose hangers or swap old spikes for modern screw-in hangers.
- Seal small leaks at seams with a gutter sealant made for your gutter material.
- Reattach any downspout straps that have pulled away from the wall.
- Note bigger problems, such as rusted-through sections or badly sagging runs, and get a quote for those.
Should you add gutter guards?
Gutter guards, from simple mesh screens to solid covers, can cut down on how often you need to clean. They aren’t maintenance-free, though. Fine debris and pine needles can still collect on top, and some styles are tricky to install. If you’re surrounded by trees, they may be worth a look. Read reviews and check that a product fits your gutter size before buying.
Put the debris to good use
Gutter gunk is mostly decomposed leaves, so it can usually go into a compost pile or yard-waste bin. Skip composting it if you notice lots of roof grit or if your roof has been recently treated with chemicals.
Make it a twice-a-year habit
Most homes do well with a cleaning in late fall and another in spring, with an extra check after big storms if you have many trees nearby. Put a reminder on your calendar now. A couple of hours this weekend can help your gutters do their job all winter, and you’ll know exactly what shape they’re in before the first freeze.
Image: IVY3 by Priwo via Wikimedia Commons, Public Domain Mark 1.0
