But what kind of mask is the right kind? If you have ever tried to look for face masks online then you are familiar with the fact that there are many different types designed for many different purposes. The general school of thought is that N95 respirators are the appropriate type of mask to wear when there is a possibility of exposure to mold spores. N95 masks are sometimes called particulate respirators. The N stands for “not resistant to oil” and the 95 stands for the fact that they have a ninety five percent filter efficiency. More specifically, they will filter out ninety five percent of the particles in the air that are 0.3 microns or larger. Mold spores can be anywhere from one to one hundred microns in size so this mask should be plenty of protection.

When you wear your mask it should cover your mouth, nose, and chin completely. There are usually two elastic straps or tie straps. The lower strap should be secured at the top of your neck and the upper strap should run above your ears and then to the top of the back of your head. Once the straps are in place, there should be a good seal around the mask so that there are not any spaces where particulates can get in. Some masks will have a flexible piece of metal in the nose piece. This flexible metal should be pinched so that there is a good seal all the way down the bridge of your nose.

Wooden ladders are the original ladders. Until fairly recently, all ladders were made of wood. The rungs were fit into grooves or depressions carved into the side pieces. Many contractors and homeowners still prefer to use wooden ladders because they are durable, inexpensive, and non-conductive. It is very hard to bend or break a wooden ladder with normal use. They are made of hard stuff and they will last a very long time. Compared to aluminum or fiberglass ladders they are cheap so for many, their first ladder is a wooden ladder because they are not sure how often they will use the ladder and they do not want to spend a lot of money on it. Being non-conductive is important when working outdoors or near electrical lines.

There are cons to working with a wooden ladder, however. Wooden ladders are heavy and hard to move around, especially if you have a large wooden extension ladder. Some are so heavy that you need two people to carry them from place to place. That makes gutter cleaning more difficult because you will need someone with you the whole time to help move the ladder every time you need to move to another gutter section. In addition, wood is prone to damage and rot due to insect activity and bad weather exposure. A rung on a ladder could be almost ready to break because termites found it and you would not even know until you fell. Wood that is left outside in the rain for long periods of time can rot through and be ruined.

Aluminum ladders are very popular mainly because they are lightweight and easy to get around. They also are good to use outdoors because they are not easily damaged by the outdoor climate. Aluminum is also a very strong material of construction. However, there are some possible problems with aluminum. Any metal is going to be a good conductor of electricity so it is not a good idea to use a metal ladder when you are going to be working near power lines of any kind. Also, do not climb an aluminum ladder in a lightning storm. One final concern with aluminum ladders is that aluminum is a relatively soft metal and will bend under pressure. Therefore, you run the risk of the ladder becoming twisted or unstable. You need to be very careful when transporting or storing an aluminum ladder.

Fiberglass is the newest material that manufacturers are making ladders out of. Fiberglass is not conductive so it is safe to use outside near power lines. Like aluminum, fiberglass is resistant to weather damage and not susceptible to insects. Unlike aluminum, fiberglass will not bend under pressure, however there is a small risk of rungs snapping under stress. Fiberglass ladders have not been around that much so there is not a lot of data on how stable they are in the long term. Fiberglass is light, like aluminum which makes it easy to transport and move around.

A-frame ladders are also called step ladders. They are called A-frame because when they are in use, the two sides of the ladder and the supports that go across the middle form an A. The name step ladder comes from the fact that these ladders have wide steps to stand on rather than thin rungs. The extra stability afforded by those wide steps are one reason that an A-frame ladder is a good one to use for a gutter cleaning project. Another reason in favor of step ladders is that they often have shelves built in near the top to hold tools and things. This shelf can be very helpful when you need to switch between a gutter scoop and a gutter brush while gutter cleaning. If you did not have the shelf, you might have to climb up and down the ladder to exchange tools.

A-frame ladders might not work in all cases, though. Usually step ladders are meant for smaller jobs. This type of ladder usually does not go very high. If your house is only one story then you can probably get away with it. But if you need to get twenty feet in the air, you probably will not be able to do it with an A-frame. Another thing to consider is the ground around your house. A step ladder needs a lot of space to set up. You need to make sure that there is level ground on both sides of where the ladder will be set up and that there are no bushes or landscaping in the way. It is not safe to balance an A-frame ladder on anything but the ground. Do not attempt to support the ladder at points higher up than the feet over an outdoor air conditioner or something.

If you cannot use an A-frame ladder then an extension ladder might be in order. The second major type of ladder is the extension ladder. The name comes from the fact that the ladder is stored so that it is only eight to ten feet long, but it can be extended to reach much greater heights. Other than their adjustable nature, the other major difference between these types of ladders is how they stand. Extension ladders are meant to be leaned against something and cannot stand up on their own. The bottom of these ladders usually has feet that swivel so that they can be level with the ground no matter what angle the ladder is sitting at. Extension ladders are a good choice for gutter cleaning because they will definitely reach your gutters no matter how high they and you can fit them almost anywhere because they do not take up much room on the ground.

There are some downsides to these ladders, however. The rungs on an extension ladder are typically round and small. There is not as much support for your feet when you are on these ladders so it is especially important to follow proper ladder safety procedures. Another downside to these ladders is that they do not usually have any kind of shelves or places to put things you are working with. If you are using an extension ladder, then you will need to carry things in your pocket or a bag or sit them on the roof. Because the roof is sloped, that could be a problem, but you have to make do with what you have.

As you can see, there are benefits to both kinds of ladders. I am afraid of heights so I want as much support as possible when I am on a ladder. That is why I prefer A-frame or step ladders whenever possible. However, my two story house means that I have to use an extension ladder.

The first ladder safety tip to follow is to make sure that you sit the base of the ladder on level ground that is solid. You want to avoid placing the ladder in soft or muddy earth because the legs could sink into the ground unevenly causing the ladder to be unbalanced and easier for you to fall off. Ground covered in gravel or mulch can also be hazardous because those loose pieces could cause one or both of the legs to sweep out and the ladder to fall with you on it. Finding a spot next to your home that meets these criteria can be difficult at times. You need to wait for the weather conditions to be right so that you will have hard ground. If there are too many hills or too much landscaping directly next to your house, you might have to resort to using scaffolding or hiring a gutter cleaning service.

A second ladder safety rule has do deal with how close or far away from your home you should put the base of the ladder. You will need a tape measure to make sure you do this part correctly. Measure how high the top of the ladder will be or how high your gutters are. Divide that number by four. That is how many feet away from the wall the base of the ladder should be. For example, if your gutters are twenty feet in the air then you need to put the bottom of your ladder five feet away from your house. In order to reach the top of the house, the ladder will need to be at least twenty and a half feet long. This four to one ratio is a good rule of thumb to practice.

A third ladder rule to follow is the three points of contact rule. Between your feet and your hands, you must always keep at least three parts of your body in contact with the ladder at any given moment. That means while you are climbing you cannot be holding anything in your hands. But how will you get your gutter cleaning equipment up the ladder? I usually put my gloves on before I climb and then tie a garbage bag with my gutter scoop and brush in it to my belt loop. The rope will extend as I climb and then I can pull the bag up once I get to the top. At the top, I can put my gutter cleaning tools on the roof while I am not using them and keep the garbage bag tied to my belt or to the ladder. While you are scooping or scrubbing your gutters, never let go with more than one hand at a time.

What gloves are best? You want a glove that will still leave you dexterous enough to grasp tools and work easily with your hands. Make sure that the gloves fit properly and are not too big. You also want to get a pair that will extend as far past your wrist as possible. The disposable kitchen gloves that you can buy in the grocery store usually work well because they have grips on the fingers and extend almost up to the middle of your forearm. The more of your arm that is covered, the further you can reach into the gutters without worrying about getting any gutter grime on you.

But why is it so important to wear them? Well, of course you want to avoid getting dirty, but there are molds and bacteria in rotting leaves that you do not want to come in contact with your skin. The moist and warm environment created by the sun shining down on your rooftop is the perfect conditions for mold and bacteria to thrive. If you let these contaminants touch your skin you are much more likely to touch your mouth or eyes and get the mold or bacteria into your system. Some people will not be that affected by them, but others suffer from extreme allergies and could get sick.

How can mold make you sick? Mold allergies have many symptoms, including but not limited to sneezing, chronic cough, runny nose, nasal congestion, itchy eyes, watery eyes, red eyes, skin rashes, hives, sinus headaches, reduced lung capacity and trouble breathing. As with most allergies, the longer you are exposed or the more times you are exposed, the worse the allergy can get. Depending on the severity of your allergy you could experience the symptoms of a mild cold or you could stop breathing. Black mold or toxic mold can even be lethal in some cases. This is a health concern to take seriously.

Even if you wear gloves, you probably will still be at least somewhat affected by the presence of mold. If you have a severe reaction to the mold, then you might want to consider hiring someone to do your gutter cleaning. Even though you will save money if you do the job yourself, it is not worth getting sick over.

When you buy your first home, there is much excitement and joyous celebration at first. Then, as time goes on you realize that there are many chores and responsibilities that come with home ownership. One of those responsibilities is gutter cleaning. Your gutters are the collection system, on the edge of your roof. They are designed to divert water that is running off your roof to downspouts. Without gutters, the water would run off your roof in curtains. Unfortunately, your gutters also collect debris like leaves, twigs, and dirt. If too much of that debris collects in your gutters, there is nowhere for the water to go and gutter cleaning becomes necessary. Gutter cleaning is not a pleasant chore, but it is something that every homeowner has to do for many reasons. This site, will give you gutter cleaning tips and suggestions about gutter cleaning tools. This information could mean the difference between a beautiful home and a disaster.

Why Is Gutter Cleaning So Important?

Although gutter cleaning is a chore, if you do not complete it you could end up with far worse problems. Gutters are the first line of defense against erosion of soil around your home foundation. A gutter system is supposed to carry water running off your roof to down spouts so it does not saturate the soil next to your house. If this soil is saturated, then you run the risk of getting the foundation wet. A foundation exposed to water can lead to a multitude of problems.

When water comes across a barrier, it will look for the path of least resistance to continue. If that barrier is your foundation, water can find its way into small cracks in the foundation. No concrete foundation is going to be perfect and crack free. As water travels into the cracks, it will find another barrier because the cracks do not go all the way through the foundation. Therefore, the water will turn around and flow out of the crack, but it will take small pieces of concrete foundation with it. Every time water overflows your gutters and finds its way into the foundation, it erodes away at it. After enough time has passed, the cracks will work all the way through the foundation and water will leak into your basement. Water in your basement can lead to problems with mold, mildew, and other bacteria.

If your gutters are not cleaned regularly and they start to overflow, allowing water to find its way to the soil directly next to your house can also be a problem. As the soil on top becomes water logged, the water will travel deeper and deeper into the soil layers. If the soil underneath your foundation becomes too saturated then it could give way causing a cave in of your home’s foundation. In other words, your house would collapse into a giant sinkhole and could be unlivable. The picture below gives you can idea of what could happen if your gutters are not properly cleaned and maintained.

If your gutters are clogged that means that they are heavy. Too heavy, in fact. The fasteners that are used to attach your gutters to your home cannot withstand the weight of a gutter system full of wet leaves and debris. When your gutters are too full they start to pull away from your house. If they are not in position to catch rainwater running off the roof, the problems to your foundation and possible sinkholes are even more of a concern. Not to mention that a gutter that has pulled away from the house in an eyes ore. Your house will look very unattractive and not well taken care of. If you are thinking of selling your home, gutters that are sagging or out of position could be a deal breaker.

How Do I Clean My Gutters?

Fortunately, the actual process of cleaning out your gutters is not a difficult one. It may be time consuming and unpleasant, but not hard. The tools you need to clean gutters are things that you probably already have around the house. Even though there is specialized gutter cleaning equipment out there, it is not necessary to do an adequate job at gutter and downspout cleaning.

The first thing you will need to do gutter cleaning is a ladder. You need to be able to reach the gutters safely. Make sure that you are using a sturdy ladder and leaning it up against a solid surface. Never lean the ladder against the aluminum and relatively unstable gutter system. The aluminum gutters will buckle under the weight of a person climbing on a ladder. When you climb up the ladder, you will only be able to clean the gutter sections that you can reach. Therefore, you will have to keep climbing down and moving the ladder after you clean each section. An alternative that might make the gutter cleaning go faster is a scaffolding system. Scaffolding is a modular system of pieces made of metal that support people when they are working up in the air. Metal is the most common material of construction, but you can find scaffolding systems made of other materials or a combination of wood and metal. While you will be able to reach more of the gutter system before having to move the scaffolding, there is a downside in that it takes time to construct the scaffolding.

Once you can reach your gutters for cleaning, you will need some kind of gutter cleaning tools to clean out the debris. The cheapest way to clean your gutters is with a pair of gloves. What? You cannot use gloves to clean gutters. Well, I should say that you need to put your hands in the gloves. That’s right, your hands are an effective gutter scoop. You definitely need a pair of gloves, though. You do not want to be touching the moldy leaves and possible bacteria that have contaminated your gutters. The one problem that you might run into with your hands in a pair of gloves is that your progress will be slow. You can only pick up so much debris at a time with the hand. An alternative to using your hands is using a gutter scoop.

You can buy tools made specifically for cleaning out gutters. They are scoops with high sides to allow for maximum capacity and thin enough to fit into your gutter system. Make sure you measure your gutters before purchasing a gutter scoop because they come in many sizes. Not only will you be able to pick up more debris at a time with the scoop for gutter cleaning, but your reach will be extended. There are long handle gutter cleaning tools that allow you to increase your reach up to two feet in both directions. A long handle and high capacity will make the gutter cleaning process go much faster.

As you are scooping out all of the dirty leaves, twigs, and other debris that clog your gutters, where do you put it. There are two choices. First, you could just throw it on the ground as you go. Then, you can walk around your house picking up the debris later. Or, you could take a garbage bag with you when you go up the ladder. That way, you can throw away the debris as you go. There are advantages to both methods. Not having a garbage bag with you on the ladder allows you to work with both hands more easily. You will be able to clear debris much faster. On the other hand, walking around your house later to pick up the debris on the ground, will just add time to the chore anyway.

Once you scoop out all of the large pieces of debris, you might find that there is a residue on the sides and bottom of your gutters left behind. A slimy layer of mold or mildew could be coating your gutters. While this may not obstruct the flow of water, it will give off an unpleasant odor. It is important to clean this residue out as well. For that, you should use gutter cleaning brushes. Of course, there are brushes marketed specifically for this purpose, but any brush that will fit into your gutters will get the job done. Gutter cleaning brushes with longer handles and a round head are best so that you can reach as far as possible without moving your ladder or scaffolding and so that you can scrub in all directions without having to move the position of the brush in your hand.

Once you have cleared away the large debris and scrubbed the inside of your gutters to get rid of any residues, you will need to rinse. The easiest way to accomplish this task is with a garden hose. Just turn on the garden hose at one end of your gutter system and let the water rinse as it travels throughout. When it completes the rinsing trip, it will run out the downspouts and you will be done.

If you want to skip all the steps that require you to scoop and scrub debris, then you might want to look into using a pressure washer. Pressure washer and gutter cleaning will go together if your clogs are not too severe. You can turn the pressure washer on and spray the high powered stream into one end of the gutter system. The high pressure should be able to loosen any small clogs and carry any debris either over the sides of the gutter or to the downspouts. One problem with this approach is that it could create a big mess. As the high pressure water stream goes into the gutter system, it might spray up over the sides carrying debris and mold down the side of your home. Also, most pressure washers do not have a very long hose or handle so you will have to find a way to bring the pressure washer up to the level of your gutters.

If you do not want to wrestle with heavy machinery on a ladder or scaffolding system, then you might look into a gutter cleaning wand. Gutter cleaning wands operate under the same principle as the pressure washing technique, but they are made especially for gutter cleaning. They usually have an extremely long handle so that you can stand on the ground and reach up into your gutters. They spray water under pressure into your gutters in a controlled manner so that there is not too much spill over.

One final alternative is to use a gutter cleaning robot. There are devices out there that are designed to move along your gutter system and clean as they go. Companies like Looj or iRobot make small machines that will fit into the gutters and have brushes on the front that scrub your gutters clean. I would not recommend using a machine like this if you have significant clogs because they could stall the gutter cleaning machine.

Safety Considerations for Gutter Cleaning

Cleaning your home gutters can be a dangerous job. There are a few safety considerations that every home owner must think about. Perhaps the most obvious, is ladder safety. There are literally thousands of ladder industries every year according to the Consumer Product Safety Commission. There are even some deaths associated with homeowners not using their ladders correctly or choosing the worn ladder for a particular purpose.

The most important ladder safety tip is that the base of the ladder much be on solid, level ground. Make sure there is no ice, snow, grease, or mud beneath the feet of the ladder. All of these conditions could cause the bottom to skip out from under you when you are on the ladder. Another important thing to do correctly is to place the ladder in the right position. A good general rule is that for every four feet high that the ladder is going, the base should be one foot away from the side of the house. Another important safety tip is to always face forward when moving up and down on the ladder and never take both hands off the ladder. The video above will give you more ladder safety information.

Another important safety tip for gutter cleaning is to always wear gloves. The moist environment of your clogged gutters is the perfect place for mold and bacteria to grow. You want to expose yourself to as little of these potentially harmful materials as possible. Most people, if wearing gloves will come away with nothing worse than a few sneezes. However, if you have a severe mold allergy, you might not want to clean your gutters yourself. It might be better for your health to hire a professional gutter cleaning service.

Gutter Cleaning Services

Unfortunately, for our gutters, most people wait to clean them until there is a problem. The truth is that your gutters should be cleaned twice a year. You should complete this project in early spring to clear out any left over ice and debris that has accumulated during the winter. You should also go through cleaning your gutters in late fall. This is perhaps the most important time of year to clean your gutters because you need to clear out all the falling leaves and things that gather in your gutter system during fall before the melting snows of winter begin to tax your gutters and downspouts. Complete a gutter cleaning project twice a year may seem like overkill, but if you clean them regularly the task should not be too involved any one time. But still, it sounds like a lot of work. You may be wondering if it would be better to hire a professional gutter cleaning service to do the job.

In terms of gutter cleaning cost, it is cheaper to do the work yourself. You only need a few household items and the only real expense is your time. But, that extra time with your children or spouse might be worth it to you. Gutter cleaning services can charge a wide range of gutter cleaning prices. Factors like the size of your house, how many stories your home is, how clogged the gutters are, and whether the downspouts are clear can all effect the price. You might pay anywhere from seventy five dollars to five hundred dollars. It is a good idea to only hire the services of someone who will give you an estimate. If someone claims to give a one price fits all service, chances are that they might not do excellent work.

There is a touchy-feely reason that you might want to clean your own gutters. There is a certain amount of pride that goes into taking care of your own home. When you make a purchase as large as a home, you want to do everything you can to keep that home looking great and in top condition. When you complete a household chore like cleaning your gutters, you feel like you are contributing to the well being of your home and your sense of ownership and pride becomes stronger. The bond between homeowner and home is an important one.

If you hire gutter cleaning services, the cleaning is usually only part of the service. Gutter professionals will also make sure your gutters are attached firmly to your home so there is no separation. Gutters are typically attached to the home with special hangers and the gutter cleaning service will replace them if necessary. They will also level your gutter system so that they are at the proper angles to maximize efficiency. All in all there are pros and cons of both doing the gutter cleaning yourself and hiring a gutter cleaning professional. I solve this problem by hiring a service once every two years. The other three cleanings I do myself. When the professionals come, they take care of the gutter science, and I just make sure that the clogs do not get too bad in the mean time.

Gutter Guards

If you want to avoid cleaning your gutters as much as possible, then you may want to make the investment into a gutter guard system. Gutter guard systems vary in method, price, and effectiveness. Finding the right gutter guard for your gutters depends on your local weather, foliage, and the pitch of your roof. Essentially, a gutter protection system will allow the water to flow into the gutters, but not the debris that typically clogs them. There are two main types of gutter guards. One is a screen of some kind with holes big enough to let water in but small enough to keep leaves out. These systems will still let in some debris, so you will need to clean your gutters; just not as frequently. The price on this type of gutter protection can range from $250 for a do it yourself project to over $2,000 for a professionally installed option. One popular gutter guard manufacturer is called Amerimax. Hey make a wide variety of gutter systems and gutter protection options.

The other main type of gutter guard works on the principle of water adhesion. A flap of sorts extends from the edge of the roof over the gutters to the edge of the gutter system. As water and debris are running off your roof, the water adheres to the flap just long enough to let the debris fall away over the side of the house and the water to fall into the gutters. This type of gutter guard system can be very expensive. These products cost between eighteen and twenty dollars per foot. An average 1,500 square foot has about 160 linear feet of roof line. That translates into anywhere from $2,880 to $3,200. Nevertheless, most people who have this type of gutter protection think it is well worth it because they practically never have to clean their gutters.

No matter what kind of home you own, a mansion or a cottage, gutter cleaning is an important household chore that cannot be ignored. Make sure that you take care of this task so that your home lasts as long as you do.

Gutter scoops are just what they sounds like. It is a short, but relatively deep shovel or spade, usually made of plastic that you use to lift debris out of your gutter. Because it needs to fit in the gutter the utensil must not be wider than your gutter. Gutters range anywhere from two and a half inches to five and a half inches in width so the scoop needs to be slightly smaller than your gutter width to function properly. Make sure you measure before you purchase. These tools will usually start with just a flat plastic bottom and then the sides will get gradually taller as you move towards the handle. Make sure that your gutter scoop can hold a good amount of debris. You do not want to be slowed down by having to scoop very small amounts over and over. You can accomplish your task much fast if you can take larger scoops out each time. Another way to save time is to find a gutter scoop with a very long handle so that you can reach further down the gutter without having to move your ladder. The most time consuming part of cleaning the gutters is going up and down the ladder to move it. A long handled gutter scoop will allow you to reach a larger area of the gutter without moving.

You can purchase these tools from a variety of places. The most likely place to find one would be a large home improvement chain store like Home Depot or Lowes. You can also find them at many online retailers or general purpose stores like Target or Wal-mart. You shouldn’t have to pay more than five or six dollars for a serviceable product.

Alternatives to buying include using your hands or a garden trowel or making your own. Your hand is the cheapest alternative, but it is slower than using a scoop. Most scoops will be able to hold several handfuls of debris and will make the chore go faster. Garden trowels have the same problem. They are small enough to fit in the gutter, but they do not hold a large volume of debris. Another downside to using a trowel is that they do not have the steep sides to hold the debris in place. Even if you manage to get a large scoop of debris, it will fall off the sides before you can get it to the bucket or garbage bag. Making your own is probably your best alternative. Fabric softeners bottles area good choice because they are thin. You should leave the cap on and turn the bottle on its side. Then cut the bottom off at an angle to make the sloping sides of the scoop.

Whatever tool you decide to use, make sure that you make the choice. Cleaning your gutters is extremely important and cannot be avoided. I would recommend using a gutter scoop to make the job go faster.

Most people protect their gutters with a gutter cover installation or gutter guard. Some people call these devices leaf gutter guards. A cover for your gutters has many small holes in it that let the water get through, but not leaves or other debris. It can also consist of simply a mesh screen covering your gutters. Depending on the size of the debris, you will need to look for certain sized holes. If your gutters are usually clogged with small pine needles then you will want smaller holes than if they are usually clogged with larger leaves. However, most gutter guards allow at least some debris to get into your gutters so you will still need to clean them out periodically. These rain gutter guards vary widely in price. You could do it yourself and install a wire mesh covering for about $250 or you could spend more than $2,000 for a manufactured option. Amerimax gutter guard products are quite popular and they have several varieties that vary in price and effectiveness.

One very popular system for gutter protection is one based on the water adhesion principle. A guard extends from your roof over your gutters to the edge and leaves only a small opening precisely engineered to allow only water to enter your gutters. The surface tension of the water makes it adhere to the gutter protection system longer than the debris and as the debris falls over the edge and falls away, the water enters the gutter system and is carried safely away by your downspouts. This particular product can be very expensive depending on the size of your house. The average 1,500 square foot house has about 160 linear feet of gutters and this product costs from eighteen to twenty dollars per foot. That comes out to a price tag of $2,880 – $3,200. Nevertheless, some people think it is worth the money. Most gutter guard reviews of these types of products rave about how well they work.

One final gutter protection option is a foam filter. This product is typically shaped like a triangle and fits into your gutter so that it cannot be seen from street level. Since the foam is filling the gutter, most large debris such as leaves and twigs cannot clog your gutter. The foam allows water to flow through it freely so there should not be any overflow of water. One downside to this type of material is that smaller debris can get in the cervices left around the foam and cause more clogging problems than if the filter was not present. This option is much less expensive than the other options though and can be installed by anyone where other systems might require a professional installation.

There are many options in terms of gutter covers. Your budget and type of debris you’re dealing with will determine which gutter guard is right for you.

Most importantly, you want to make sure that the base of your ladder is on solid, level ground and not on any ice, snow, grease or mud. The rule of thumb for where to place your ladder: for every four feet high that the ladder is going to go up, the base of the ladder should be one foot away from the house. So, for a typical one-story house, the top of your ladder will be about 10 above the ground and the base of the ladder will be about 2.5 feet from the house. This means that you need a ladder that is between 10 and 11 feet long.

Make sure that you always face the ladder when moving up or down and never carry anything in your hand while climbing. You will probably need a garbage bag and gloves to clean your gutters so you should carry these things in your pocket or wear the gloves when climbing up and down. I find it works best to attach the garbage bag to a rope and then tie the rope to my belt loop while I climb. Then when I get to the top I can raise the bag up and down. Experts will tell you that you must always maintain three points of contact when on a ladder. That means that either two feet and one hand or two hands and one foot must be touching the ladder at any given moment. Therefore, once you get the garbage bag up to the top, use the rope to tie it to the ladder so you can hang on with one hand and clean out debris with the other.

There is one other safety concern that I can think of. I recommend that you wear gloves when cleaning out your gutters because you will be exposed to molds from the wet leaves and debris in your gutters. That moist environment is the perfect place to grow mold and bacteria. Most people will be fine if they wear the gloves and may only suffer the occasional sneeze. However, there are people with severe mold allergies that might suffer worse side effects. If you are one of those people then I recommend that you let another family member clean your gutters and downspouts or hire a gutter cleaning service.

If you do it yourself, there will be considerably less cost. It only takes time and some simple gutter cleaning equipment that is only basic household items. Therefore, doing it yourself is usually the more ecnomical choice. If you hire gutter cleaning services you could spend anywhere from seventy-five to five hundred dollars. The size of your home and how many stories it is add to the cost. If your downspouts are clogged this usually adds to this cost as well. Most people that professional clean your gutter do not use water or hoses so cleaning downspouts is a lot more complicated. In addition to the economics, there is a less tangible advantage to cleaning your own gutters. When you own a home, you develop a special bond with it as you put more and pore of yourself into maintaining it. There is a great satisfaction in putting in some hard work on making your home more beautiful.

If you are a particularly clumsy individual or are accident-prone, then hiring someone to clean your gutters could be the right choice for you. Obviously, there are safety concerns when you clean your own gutters. If you let professionals do it then you do not have to worry about being hurt when you fall from a ladder. In addition to keeping your feet on the ground, hiring a professional has other added benefits. Many gutter-cleaning services include leveling of your gutters to make sure they are pitched properly to optimize your drainage system. In addition, many technicians also will replace or repair the hangers for your gutters to make sure they are securely attached to your home and will not fall off in heavy winds or rains. As self-sufficient as they can be, I doubt many homeowners know the specifics of how their gutters should hang.

In order to make sure that my gutters are hanging properly, I usually have a service clean them once every two years. The other three times I climb up the ladder and do it myself. If you keep to a schedule of two cleanings per year, the chore should not take as long or be as expensive when you pay for it.