Cleaning gutters and roof valleys

   / Cleaning gutters and roof valleys #1  

deerefan

Veteran Member
Joined
Aug 23, 2005
Messages
2,102
Location
louisiana
Tractor
1952 8N, 2005 JD 5103
I have roughly 200’ of gutters to clean monthly, more so in the fall. When doing this, I also get all the leaves and twigs out the roof valleys. I clean the gutters by hand and with a blower then rinse with house at end. My roof pitch is very steep, making cleaning the valleys very unsafe. How do you guys do it? Do any of you use the leaf guards on gutters? Looking for a safer and more efficient way to do this.
 
   / Cleaning gutters and roof valleys #3  
I got an extension tube that goes on my leaf blower and now stand on the ground to clean the gutters.

Works best if you blow the stuff out frequently and don't let it get wet and mat down.
 
   / Cleaning gutters and roof valleys #4  
We have got rid of leaf guard as it lets the leaves go but the dust accumulates and turns into mud and clogs the gutters and it becomes a major cleaning job.
Just go up as required and use our hands the valley SWMBO does as she is better with heights than what I am although we are considering getting someone to do it along with some grass cutting in gutters that we cannot do ourselves because it is too steep.
 
   / Cleaning gutters and roof valleys #5  
I made a roof broom. A lightweight push broom head and a couple lengths of thinwall tubing (made for cheap broom handles) connected together. I can use it from a ladder to brush pine needles off the parts of the roof that are too steep to walk on.
 
   / Cleaning gutters and roof valleys #6  
I use my Stihl gas blower to blow the debris out of the gutters from the roof. All areas are pretty accessible.

One house has gutter guards which work vey well. They were expensive but it is a rental and I could expense it. Saves worrying about that in doing maintenance on that one.

TBS
 
   / Cleaning gutters and roof valleys #7  
You definitely need gutter guards or gutter helmets. The type will depend on the debris. Some types work better with certain debris (big leaves vs pine needles). So buy some in small quantities and do some tests before buying enough to do the whole place.

With that much debris is sounds like some tree work is needed.
 
   / Cleaning gutters and roof valleys
  • Thread Starter
#8  
You definitely need gutter guards or gutter helmets. The type will depend on the debris. Some types work better with certain debris (big leaves vs pine needles). So buy some in small quantities and do some tests before buying enough to do the whole place.

With that much debris is sounds like some tree work is needed.

Tree work is needed. There is a massive oak 30 feet from the house causing the majority of the issue. We have been trying to get it removed for about 6 months but been too wet to get truck in.
 
   / Cleaning gutters and roof valleys #9  
I had oak debris that worked well with Amazon screen type guards that took a little screw every 2’ or so.
The new place has pine trees and those screen type don’t work too good. I have the helmet type on those. Helmet type is way more expensive.
With that I’d hit up your local hardware store, Home Depot or Amazon and buy a few pieces of a highly rated brand. Verify it works and go from there.

The valley isn’t something I have an easy solution for. Any blowing from below risks just pushing stuff up/into the shingles.
 
   / Cleaning gutters and roof valleys #10  
While our roof is not steep, but I still use a blower to clean out about 100' of gutter and it only takes about 15 minutes.
 
 
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