4 Tips for Safely Pressure Washing Your Gutters

The following contribution is from another author.

Spring is almost here, so get out your list of to-dos and make sure you add cleaning the gutters. We know this is your least favorite spring chore, but the debris blowing around from winter will need to be removed before it damages your roof, walls, and foundation. Here are four tips for pressure washing Greenville SC gutters safely.

Before we get to it, though, you should have a list of tools before you begin cleaning the gutters. You’ll need safety glasses, rubber gloves, work gloves, rubber soles on your shoes for safety, gutter tools such as a wire brush to clean them, a scoop or garden trowel for scooping up debris, and a pressure washer for cleaning the gutters and downspouts.

Wear the rubber gloves beneath the work gloves to keep your hands dry and to protect them. You’ll need two buckets attached to your ladder: one for debris to be thrown away, and one to hold your tools.

1. Recognize Whether The Gutters Need Cleaning, Repair, or Replacement

Lots of homeowners only clean their gutters in Fall. Some clean them in Spring and Fall. Homeowners can see if the gutters are pulling away from the roof, cracked, split, rusted, sagging, or have mold and mildew. This means the gutters aren’t doing a good job of protecting the roof and house:

• Gutters pulling away from the roof obviously mean water damage to walls, the basement, and the foundation. Call a professional pronto to stop the damage before it gets too bad
• Cracks and splits are just as bad because they allow water to damage the walls, basement, and foundation. Replace any cracked or split sections immediately
• Rust means the presence of water. Before the rust eats a hole in the gutter, clean out the debris to allow free flow of water. Clean the rust away
• Sagging gutters are gutters past their use-by date. Sagging means the gutter no longer drains well and requires replacement.
• Mold and mildew mean the gutters haven’t been maintained properly or at all. Clean it away and keep the gutters well maintained and cleaned.

2. Know How To Use The Right Ladder Safely

When you’re pressure washing gutters, you’d best have a ladder that won’t move an inch. Simply resting a ladder on the gutters isn’t safe, as the gutters weren’t made to supply that kind of support. If you can’t get a ladder that rests on the actual roof, then a stepladder on the stable ground is your best bet.

To pressure wash gutters safely, never step above the next to the top step. If you’re using an extension ladder for a two-story house, then have someone hold the ladder. If any of this gives you pause, then hire a professional gutter cleaner.

3. Clear Debris By Hand

Wear your safety glasses and use a good pair of gloves. Using your scoop or garden trowel, scoop out debris and leaves. Lots of homeowners might be tempted to blast through the debris with the pressure washer. That’s a bad idea for two reasons. The first is that if you’re not prepared for the pressure of the water coming out, then you’ll be blasted right off the ladder. The second is that you could damage the gutters that way.

4. Wash Out The Gutters With A Garden Hose

You need to know that drainage is still functional. Run water into the gutters to test the downspouts. If the water doesn’t flow freely and gets backed up, then there’s a clog in the downspouts. Remove the downspout where it joins the gutter.

While you’re standing on the ground, use the pressure washer on the remaining length of downspout. When the clog is washed away, re-attach the downspout to the joint at the gutter. Run water along the gutters to make very sure the flow isn’t stopped again.

The last step is to repair any cracks and splits, and add gutter guards. If they’re too far gone, then replacement is the next move. If you’re keeping them, paint the gutters. The right paint helps prevent rust, mold, and mildew. Now, your gutters are good until the Fall!