Robert Lenney of Gutterglove Guttergard, submitted his gutter cleaning tips for us to share with readers/website browsers. It's that time of year — leaves are falling, filling up gutters that have no protection. Gutters need to cleaned out to allow for the flow of rainwater. These tips are good for FIYers as well as contractors/installers who have all of the equipment to complete the job. What follows is Lenney's article.


By Robert Lenney

Fall is the time of year to get your house in order before winter sets in. For most of us, that means it’s once again time for a good, old-fashioned gutter cleaning.

It’s the semi-annual project that strikes fear into the heart of all urban and suburban warriors who face a “Honey, Please Do This” list every weekend. At its best, gutter cleaning is a tedious and disgusting task. At worst, it can be scary and downright dangerous. One slight misstep and you are heading to the hospital with a broken bone and bruised ego.

Each year about 180,000 homeowner accidents are ladder related, according to Consumer Reports¹. That’s why it’s best to be prepared to do the job right. Our company services the entire United States. We have cleaned nearly 3.5 million feet of gutters, including some at Stanford University. We know a thing or two about the pitfalls and problems of gutter cleaning. With partner John Lewis, these are the tips and tricks we offer for safe and effective gutter cleaning:

•    Ladder Safety: Use a safe and sturdy ladder, preferably with a small shelf strong enough to hold a five-gallon bucket to put the moist gutter debris in. For uneven or soft ground, place a piece of plywood under the ladder to keep it level and steady.

•    Power Line Hazard: When cleaning gutters around a power line cable that drops from the power pole to the roof of a home, conduct a visual inspection of the electrical cable where it connects to the roof. This is to ensure that the protective wire insulation hasn’t rubbed off through years of wear-and-tear by weather and nearby trees. If the cable appears to have damage, do not attempt to repair it. Call a licensed professional electrical contractor to fix it.
 
If it’s raining and there is an electrical wire problem, do not attempt to clean out the gutters until the wires are fixed. Water is a dangerous conductor of electricity. Whether it’s raining or not, it would be a good idea to have the electrical wiring repaired before cleaning out your gutters.
 
It is not advisable to use a metal ladder near power lines when cleaning out your gutters. A fiberglass ladder is a better safety solution in this situation.
 
•    Garden hose: With an adjustable on/off value at the end so you can control the flow of the water when spraying out your gutter.

•    Gutter scoop: For scooping, while a small garden spade may work, two of the best tools are the Gutter Getter and Gutter Scoop. They have a long handle and small scoop that is perfect for cleaning gutters.

•    Wear gloves: Especially if you have a pigeon population, the droppings are full of bacteria that you don’t want to come in contact with. Or, if your gutters are old and ragged, you hands will be less likely to get cut on torn metal gutter shards.

•    Rake Off Roof: Rake all debris off the roof first. If you don’t, the next rain will wash all the debris down into your clean gutter, clogging it up again. Also, debris left on the roof can lead to water damming in valleys or around the chimney, which can lead to erosion and roof leaks over time.

•    Rubber shoes: When walking on a tile or shake roof be sure to do so when it’s dry, and wear rubber-soled shoes for the tile. Be extremely careful if the roof is at all wet because both tile and shake can become very slippery. For wooden shake roofs, you can wear a special spiked roofing shoe called Korkers, which have small metal spikes similar to golf shoes.

•    Professionals: Unless you are the adventurous type, it’s best to leave the roof cleaning to the experts. However, if you do venture topside, always let someone know you are going up there.

•    Downspouts unclogged: Make sure the downspouts are clear. After all the gutters are cleaned out, run the water hose down the downspout at full pressure. If the water backs up out of the top, you have a clog. Normally, you can unclog it by tapping on the side of the downspout. But if that doesn’t work, you need to remove the downspout and back-flush it the other way.”

•    Downspout chain: If your downspout makes a loud dripping noise during a rain storm, you can install a special decorative chain to hang down the downspout. The water runs down the chain instead of dripping to the metal below. There are also some magnetic sponges available that stick to the side of the downspout and absorb water and stop the dripping sound.

•    Two time cleaning: Make sure you clean out your gutters at least twice a year – once in the fall and again in the spring. A gallon of water weighs more than eight pounds, so a fully clogged gutter and downspout can add a tremendous amount of extra weight that will wear out the gutter supports and cause damaged to the house and roof.

•    Gutter guards: Using a quality gutter guard can eliminate the need for cleaning out your gutters again. Consider carefully the manufactures claims before purchasing a gutter protection system that keeps out leaves and pine needles, because many make promises they can’t deliver.

Happy cleaning!

The Copper Development Association Inc. is accepting entries for its 2009 North American Copper in Architecture Awards.

In 2008, judges from CDA and the Canadian Copper & Brass Development Association chose winning projects from a field of nearly 50 contemporary and restoration architectural projects. The 2008 field encompassed university buildings, historic landmarks, museums and an award-winning residential guest house in a state forest.

To view last year’s awardees click here.

CDA and CCBDA are again seeking architectural building projects across North America that have earned recognition for their innovative use of copper. There are two award categories: New Construction and Restoration/Renovation. Projects must be located in the United States or Canada and must have been completed within the past two years. Significant application of architectural copper or copper alloys is required for eligibility.

Winning projects will be determined based upon several factors, including: copper system design, integration of copper with the overall design, craftsmanship of installation, and general excellence in innovation or restoration.

The competition is open to all architects and contractors. Award winners will receive a custom copper etching commemorating their project. Entries also will be showcased on the CDA and CCBDA Web sites, and will be publicized in various industry publications.

Deadline for entry is December 31, 2008. All entries must be submitted online at: http://www.copper.org/applications/architecture/awards/submit.html