How to Clean Gutters with Gutter Guards

7/14/2024

Even with gutter guards, cleaning the gutters is necessary to ensure water doesn't pool around your home. While these guarding systems greatly minimize the accumulation of debris, cleaning the gutter in a while is essential.

This guide will help you effectively clean gutters with gutter guards on them to ensure the smooth running of the drainage system.

Understanding Gutter Guards

Gutter guards are covers on your gutters to prevent leaves, twigs, and other elements from clogging your gutters. They come in mesh screen, reverse curve system, and foam insert styles.

While these guards hugely reduce the cleaning frequency for gutters, they do not eliminate it. There can be an accumulation of some sort of debris with time, especially tiny ones that go through guards.

Tools and Materials Needed

Here is a list of things you'll need to clean gutters with guards:

Rugged ladder
Work gloves
Safety glasses
One garden hose with attachable attachment of high-pressure nozzle
Small hand brush or specialized gutter cleaning tool
Plastic scoop or trowel
Bucket or tarp
Water and white vinegar solution as a natural cleaner

Safety Precautions

Safety should be your top priority. Always use a sturdy ladder placed on level ground, and have someone nearby to spot you. Wear non-slip shoes, work gloves, and safety glasses. Avoid overreaching; instead, move the ladder as needed.

Be cautious of power lines and never clean gutters in wet or windy conditions. If your home is more than one story or you're uncomfortable with heights, consider hiring a professional.

How to Clean Gutters With Gutter Guards?

1. Inspect the Gutter Guards

First of all, do the ground-level assessment for your gutter guards to identify any kind of apparent damage or a location where the debris has piled. When you're in the position on the ladder, check the guards for loose portions and areas that have cracked or may even have separated from the gutters. After that, check for gaps between the guard and the gutter through which different types of refuse may enter.

2. Remove Large Debris

Remove larger particles accumulated on top of the gutter guards by simply sweeping leaves, twigs, and other visible material off with gloved hands or a small brush. Be careful not to catch on or dislodge the gutter guards in your effort. For more stubborn ones, you'll want to have a garden trowel or plastic scoop handy but try not to scratch or dent the guards.

3. Clean the Gutter Guards

Once all the considerable debris has been scooped out, direct your attention to cleaning the gutter guards. In a natural and rugged solution, mix equal parts water and white vinegar. Apply this mixture onto the guards, either by spray bottle or sponge, and lightly scrub with a soft-bristled brush to remove dirt, algae, or mold. For mesh guards, give extra care that the small openings are cleared. Using a clean garden hose, rinse the guards well.

4. Flush the Gutters

Use your garden hose equipped with a high-pressure nozzle to force water through the gutter guards into the gutters. This will rinse out finer elements that have collected under the gutter guards. Look for how the water runs smoothly through it. If you notice some parts wherein the water does not drain quickly, this probably is due to a blockage or improper slope of the gutter.

5. Check the Downspouts

Now that you have flushed the gutters, focus on downspouts. Run water through every downspout to see whether it's moving freely. Should you find one plugged up, use a hose at high pressure to try blowing through the clog. For more difficult ones, you may even need a plumber's snake or have cut the downspouts for handheld cleaning.

6. Reinstall and Secure Gutter Guards

If you had removed any gutter guards for cleaning, now is the time to reinstall them. Be sure each section aligns appropriately and is securely fastened in its place; there shouldn't be any gap big enough for debris to get in. Check all fasteners and replace any that are damaged or corroded. Once reinstalled, make a final check to confirm that all guards are correctly positioned and that none of the gutter parts are exposed.

Benefits of Clean Gutters with Gutter Guards

The advantages brought about by maintaining clean gutters with guards installed are numerous.

It facilitates perfect water drainage, saving your home's foundation from water damage and basement flooding.
Clean gutters will keep away the pests and reduce the chances of ice dams forming during winter.
Cleaning prolongs life for both the gutters and guards, reducing expenses incurred for their replacement or repairs.

Read also: Why Gutter Cleaning Is Important?

DIY Cleaning of Gutter Guards vs. Hiring a Pro

Although any homeowner can handle most gutter cleaning tasks with gutter guards, there may be circumstances when it is best to bring in a professional. Doing it yourself saves money and allows an up-close inspection of the gutters, but it can be hazardous work for multi-story homes.

Professional services offer that expertise coupled with proper equipment and insurance coverage. Consider how comfortable you might be with heights, the complexity of your gutter system, and what time constraints are perceived to be used in making a DIY versus professional gutter cleaning or repair decision.

Conclusion

Cleaning gutters with gutter guards installed is an essential task in home maintenance, though not one that needs to be performed frequently, as would be the case without guards. Follow this guide, and your gutter system will function at its best to protect your home from water damage. Inspection and cleaning, regularly, extend the life of gutters and guards. Vigilance is what keeps costly repair bills down the line. Schedule regular cleaning and inspection regularly, adjusting according to your climatic area and vegetation around you. If well taken care of, a gutter guard system will give years of reliable protection for your home.