What tool do you guys use to clear gutters?

[Norfolkandchance]

hi,

There seems to be a huge range from telescopic poles with a D shaped paddle on the end to various attachments for hose pipes, pressure washers and leaf blowers / shredders. Obviously the last ones are more PH and I already have both a pressure washer and a leaf blower / shredder. If it makes a difference, the gutters are low - the design of the roof means that they pass under the upstairs windows so I could potentially lean out of windows or reach from the ground without a ladder which would be nice.

Advice and tips please

Thanks

[smighall]

I was thinking of attaching a long pipe to my leaf blower and do it that way. In the end just got up the ladder, cleared by hand and fitted leaf guards. Whole house was done in the hour. No point faffing with trying to get clever, just get up the ladder and do it, you then know it's done properly too.

[CoolHands]

Drain gloves (ie thick rubber gloves) and a bucket.

[Janluke]

I use this

http://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/B005SCLAJU?psc=...

Works well, quite sturdy, there's a bit of knack but its paid for itself

[AlmostUseful]

If there's clutter in your gutter, don't be daft, don't be a nutter, get yourself a hedgehog gutter brush.

Or at least that's what the advert on talksport told me a while back.

[HiAsAKite]

a ladder, some marigolds, and my hands...

fortunately its only 1 storey though....

[rufmeister]

Ask your window cleaner if you have one. They may do it off ladders, but may use a vac.

We use a vac, up to 50ft from the ground, cleared safely, and efficiently.

[Stickyfinger]

I use a tool called Brian, a window cleaner and Audi driver so double qualified.

[paulwirral]

Set them correctly and they should just about keep themselves clean . The hedgehog brush system does work quite well , I installed it on a holiday house and it's been good , note I didn't say great but the house is in a densely wooded area !

[oldcynic]

I took them down, cleaned them with a hose, then refitted them.

I guess that's the long way round, but I wanted to treat and repair the woodwork behind the gutter so it seemed simpler to clean the guttering at ground level.

[monty999]

Best to get ladder or steps if you can then keep pushing everything along, moving ladders as you go. Then if you have a stop end to the gutters, unclip it ,push everything out into a bucket- gloves of course. The hedgehog doesn't work that great, what happens is wet leaves stick to it and the rain water then runs over the leaves missing the gutter- does keep leaves out of the bottom of the gutter though( and keeps them at the top instead !).Unfortunately, no substitute for manual labour.

[LotusMartin]

Hedgehogs are a waste of time - mine have just collected moss and leaves, now its worse than it used to be

[wjwren]

jetwash tied to ladder. Move ladder along every 10 feet.

[Jonesy23]

Long pole, hosepipe tied to it, washing machine drain hose ubend clip fixed at the top of the pole to point the end of the hose downwards, jet nozzle on the end of the hose.

Works great if messily especially for clearing blocked downpipes.

Don't have to deal with many leaves but lots of moss and general dirt still seems to get into the gutters.

[Jonboy_t]

If you can access it, stick a leaf blower at the bottom of the downpipe and just press go. Make sure you film it though, i want to see.

[227bhp]

Why would you not just use your hands with gloves on?
Good Lord

[monthefish]

LotusMartin said:

Hedgehogs are a waste of time - mine have just collected moss and leaves, now its worse than it used to be

^^
This.

I saw them and immediately and very excitedly bought some. In practice, they are rubbish.


These, on the other hand, are brilliant.



http://www.greenfingers.com/product.asp?dept_id=20...

[8-P]

In my recent experience - we moved into a house a few months back and clearly the gutters had not been done for a LONG time. I got a guy out to do it with a vac as they were exploding and at the time I had no ladder / time. All it did was suck the leaves out, I was left with an inch or more of what was basically soil - rotten moss and leaves that the vac wouldnt pick up. So I re did what he had done and cleared them properly. Usual thing, if you want a job doing properly.............. Old school, my hand a bucket. Marigolds would have been better though. I was annoyed I paid him, he was full of st and took my money willingly.

[Trustmeimadoctor]

mine has a plant in it and a leak I need a man as I don't have big enough ladders

[Jonesy23]

227bhp said:

Why would you not just use your hands with gloves on?
Good Lord

Doesn't work for clearing downpipes. They always need flushing. And moss & other crap always manages to block those even with caps. In fact the caps make them block more quickly.

Also requires climbing a ladder for access which starts to get impractical when the gutter is over 8m up. Could use a tower but seems a lot of effort compared to using a tool.