You will require an extension ladder tall sufficient to reach the greatest rain gutter on your house, unless your roofing system has a shallow sufficient pitch that you feel comfortable strolling on it to access higher rain gutters. We also advise utilizing a ladder stand-off to stabilize the ladder, as well as to keep the ladder off of your rain gutters and prevent from damaging them. Bring a hammer so that you can re-nail any loose gutter spikes, a long tube, Gloves, a leaf blower to clear off roofing debris, a drill with the correct 1/4 ″ hex head bit to disassemble downspouts if needed, and a clean-out tool for the downspouts.
2) Remove all available roof particles: Start with the highest part of the roofing initially and work your way down. A leaf blower really can be found in useful here. The last thing you wish to do is clean all of your seamless gutters just to have the accumulated debris from your roof fill them up once again.
3) Inspect your roofing system: While you are up on your roofing system cleaning particles, it is a fantastic time to check your roofing system, and it's much easier than you may think. A) Check for soft areas in the roofing. While you are strolling you might notice sunken in, distorted, or soft spots in your roofing. These can be signs of possible water intrusion or attic ventilation concerns. Examine the area around and above the acknowledged area for leaks in the roof or missing shingles. B) Visually inspect the roofing system for missing/damaged shingles. Note the age and basic condition of the shingles. The typical shingle has a 25 year life span. As shingles age they will become thin as they lose exactly what the majority of people describe as shingle grit, which you also might see accumulating in your gutter. C) Check all penetrations in your roof such as fan, dryer, and pipes vents. It is typical for the rubber gaskets around pipeline vents to dry-rot and leak. You can get a few more years out of the pipeline collar by sealing around the dry-rotted rubber gasket with a great roof cement.
4) Clean & clear your gutters and downspouts: Start by getting rid of the debris from your gutters by hand (don't forget your gloves!). Just like your roof you desire to begin with the highest seamless gutters. You can bag the debris as you go on the roof but for security reasons we advise just throwing it down on the ground. It is a lot easier and much safer to bag it on the ground. When tossing it down from the roofing system, try to toss it into stacks to make clean-up easier. After you have gotten rid of the big things by hand we recommend flushing out the small debris and shingle grit left behind utilizing a water hose. This will likewise help ensure that the downspouts are clear of debris also. When using a water pipe it is very important to know where the hose is at all times. A water hose pipe that is left hanging from the roof can cause havoc on your landscape, lawn ornaments, flags, and so on, when moving around on the roof. Start with the greatest gutters at the opposite end of the outlet/downspout. Work the debris to and down the downspout. Inspect the bottom of the downspout to make sure water is draining effectively. If the rain gutter supports with water then you most likely have a blocked downspout. Use your downspout tool to attempt to snake any clogs that may be at the leading elbow area of the downspout. If that doesn't work because the downspout is too badly clogged, or the blockage is too far down the downspout, dissembling the downspout may be needed.
5) Inspect your gutters: Make sure your seamless gutters are draining appropriately. Gutters that are holding water are more prone to collecting debris, ideal breeding premises for mosquitoes and other insects, can deteriorate the sealant in end caps, outlets, and miters, and can pull rain gutters from the fascia due to the added weight. If after flushing your seamless gutters with water, the downspout is not clogged however the rain gutter is still holding water, your gutter might have to be replaced or re-pitched correctly towards the outlet. This can occur due to bent or distorted seamless gutters from improper upkeep or snow build-up, natural settling of your home, and even a poor initial installation. Make certain your rain gutters are protected tightly to the fascia boards. Now days most rain gutters are installed utilizing an internal bracket which is screwed to the fascia board and is not most likely to pull loose. However, a lot of people will find that their gutters were installed utilizing what is called a spike and ferrule.With the weight of debris and snow build-up these spikes tend to pull loose from the fascia board which can lead to fascia rot and even overall collapse of the gutter. We suggest re-nailing any loose seamless gutter spikes when cleaning your gutters. Utilizing your hammer simply tap on each spike head till the gutter sets securely to the fascia. You may see that the spike does not hold and seems loose or keeps pulling away. If this happens call an expert to evaluate your rain gutters.
When finished with your gutter cleaning, be sure you do not leave any tools up on the roofing. If you find any problems with your roofing system and/or rain gutters call a professional right away to prevent any costly water associated damage that could result in the future.