Cleaning out your gutters is an important part of maintaining your eavestrough system. If your gutters are clogged with leaves and other debris, they won’t be able to perform their job like they’re meant to.

The question is, how exactly do you go about cleaning your gutters? More specifically, is there a special tool you can use that would allow you to clean the gutters from the ground?

Is There a Tool to Clean Your Gutters From the Ground?

The typical way to clean out gutters is to climb a ladder so you can be close enough to reach into the gutters and scoop out any debris that may be in there. You can use your hands, or you can use a scooping apparatus to help you dig in there in case there is anything that’s stuck to the walls of the troughs. 

That said, climbing a ladder is not without its hazards. As you might imagine, it can be dangerous to climb a ladder, especially during inclement weather or if the ladder isn’t properly stabilized. Plus, having to climb a ladder is a nuisance, since you’ll have to move it every few feet along the perimeter of the roofline. 

Instead, it would be a lot more convenient — and safer — to be able to clean out your eavestroughs from the ground without having to go up a ladder. But what kinds of tools are available to help you reach the gutters and effectively clean them out? 

There are plenty of options. For starters, you can use a pressure washer kit with an extension arm that reaches the gutters. Just a simple push of a button, and you can let the pressure from the water blast out any debris from the eavestroughs. 

If you choose this method, you should set the pressure washer to 1,700 psi. Although there may be some stubborn sticky grime that might require more effort, the majority of debris should be effectively taken out at this pressure.

If you use a pressure washer wand, you’ll want to be careful not to increase the pressure too much, as you may risk damaging the eavestroughs. If that happens, you’ll have more problems than just having to clean out your gutters.  

There are also a variety of wet/dry vacuum kits available, as well as claw kits that may be used to clear out any debris from your gutters while you’re still at ground level. 

What Happens if You Don’t Clean Out Your Gutters?

If you let debris pile up in your gutters for a long time without cleaning them out, you could find yourself dealing with other issues down the line. Cleaning out your eavestroughs is incredibly important if you want to avoid any one of the following issues that could arise, including the following:

Leaking 

If your eavestroughs are full of debris, all that material can make its way to the downspouts. If your downspouts get blocked, you’ll wind up with a ton of standing water that will collect. At that point, there’s a big risk that the water will eventually leak and overflow. 

Roof Damage

One of the most important jobs of eavestroughs is to protect the roof. If water is allowed to pool at the roofline, it could cause significant damage to the roof material. The shingles will soften and get damaged from all that standing water, allowing more leaking when it rains or snows. Eventually, water could make its way inside your home, where the damage will continue. 

The roof can become so damaged that you may have to replace it at some point, which is a big and expensive job.

Pest Infestation

When organic material like leaves and twigs start to decompose, it will start to attract unwanted pests, including bugs and mice because it serves as food for these critters. If these pests start to congregate on the outside of your home, they can eventually make their way inside your home. At this point, you’ll have another big problem on your hands to deal with.  

Cleaning your gutters is a super important job, but it can be time-consuming and labor-intensive. Rather than do the job yourself, enlist the services of professionals to do the job for you. Get in touch with Tip Top Trough today!