Unpacking the Gutter Clutter Buster

We tested a Gutter Clutter Buster Kit which includes the GCB tool along with 2 extension pieces. The kit will allow you to clean the gutters on most two-story homes. All three pieces came packaged in a cardboard box that measures 60x14x3 inches. The only other thing in the box was an instruction sheet so there is no extra packaging to dispose of. The cardboard box can be broken down and recycled or kept for storage of the GCG when you are not using it. The unpacking of this product was simple.

Putting the Gutter Clutter Buster Together

The GCB and extension pieces are easy to put together. You just have to push the two together with a moderate amount of force. Do not expect the pieces to overlap too much and do not push too hard. Once the pieces stop moving, then they are together tightly enough to continue. I made the mistake of trying to push them together past the obvious stopping point and then had trouble getting the

pieces apart later. The only thing to be careful about when putting extension pieces on the GCB is to be sure to balance the tool properly. As the GCB system gets longer, it gets a little top-heavy and hard to control. Once you have the appropriate number of extension pieces on your GCB you just connect the bottom to a standard Wet/Dry Vac hose. This connection process is the same as the process used to connect the extension

pieces. Again, be careful not to push too hard or you might have a hard time getting the Wet/Vac hose off of the GCB.

Using the Gutter Clutter Buster

In theory, when you turn on your Wet/Dry Vac, the GCB will act as a long hose extension and suck any and all debris from your gutter system. One of the concerns I had, before we started was that there would be enough suction to pull debris out of the gutter system. This was not an issue. The debris did get pulled into the Gutter Clutter Buster and into the Wet/Dry Vac. When using the Gutter Clutter Buster on gutters that were only one story off the ground, it was easy to control the tool as I walked around the perimeter of the home. One obstacle that I ran into was the gutter clips on the gutter system. Every four feet or so there is a metal clip extending from the house over the top of the gutter and I had to keep lifting the GCB up over the clips every few feet.

The pictures of people using the GCB on their website show the tool being used at an angle, but I found it much easier if the gutter cleaning tool was as parallel to the house as possible. When I walked away from the house and used the GCB at an angle I had a hard time fitting the tool into the gutters. This might not be as big a problem if your gutters are wider, but I just found it easier to use the GCB in a vertical position. I would then sway the gutter cleaning tool from left to right before moving a few feet down and doing it all again.

In this picture you can see where the GCB removed the gutter gravel. The material on the inside lip of the gutter could not be removed because of the overhanging shingles.

Unfortunately, there was not a lot of debris in the gutter system when I tried out this tool. In the front of the house, most of what I got out of the gutters was gutter gravel. In the back of the house, the situation was a little different. First, the gutters in the back of this home are much higher so I needed to use both extension pieces here. The Gutter Cutter Buster was a little harder to control with both extension pieces, so I couldn’t move the tool from left to right as much. That meant that I had to move my position more frequently, and be careful not to let the GCB lean too much in any direction.

When I started using the GCB I noticed that I was collecting a lot of water in addition to the gravel and debris. Since I am using this tool with a Wet/Dry Vac that was not a problem, but it set off some alarm bells. If there was stagnant water in the gutter system, that could mean a clog in the downspout. At this point, I went and got a ladder in order to check the downspout. Sure enough, there was a clog and we were able to correct that problem before any major damage was done or the gutter system over flowed. Without collecting that water with the GCB, we might not have noticed this problem until it was too late.

My main complaint when using the GCB was that you have to look up a lot and I got a bit of a cramp in my neck. Also, my arms got tired after a while when using the tool with both extension pieces because it was a little heavy (7 pounds) to hold over your head for an extended period of time. However, even with the breaks I was taking to relieve my neck and arms, cleaning the gutters was much faster with the GCB than when I have cleaned gutters by hand going up and down a ladder.

Cleaning the Gutter Clutter Buster

When I was finished with my gutter cleaning, there was a lot of debris and dirt water inside the GCB pieces. In order to clean the tool out, I just ran a garden hose inside each piece and the let them air dry in the yard. I then emptied the Wet/Dry Vac into a compost pile and then rinsed it with the hose. The entire cleanup process took less than ten minutes.

Storing the Gutter Clutter Buster

I chose to store my GCB in the box it was shipped in, but you do not have to do that. If I did not save the box, I would have zip tied the pieces together in a bundle for easy storage. You can lean the apparatus up against a wall in your garage or store it on a shelf if you have one large enough. Since each piece of the GCB system is less than three inches in diameter, they are easy to store in a corner or between pieces of furniture in your garage or basement. They are also lightweight so it is easy to lift them up onto a shelf if you need to.

How the Gutter Clutter Buster Could be Improved

The one suggestion I have for how this product could be improved would be to offer attachments for the end of the GCB. The most useful attachment for me would have been a piece that angled the opening about forty five degrees so that I could use the gutter cleaner at an angle with my house rather than walking right underneath. Other attachments like a brush head or a thin piece might help with the collection of gutter gravel or in the hard to reach corners of the gutter system respectively. I am thinking of an attachment collection like what you might find on a vacuum cleaner. While these attachments are definitely not necessary to clean your gutters with the GCB, they might help in certain situations and be a nice added feature.

My overall impression of the Gutter Clutter Buster is that I would strongly recommend this tool for homeowners with one-story homes. It is easy to control when you do not have to put too many extensions on it. You do not have bend your head so far back so it is relatively easy on your body. And, you do not have to work on a ladder which is a plus in terms of time and safety.

I would also recommend the Gutter Clutter Buster for two-story homes. Even though you will need to use more extensions and it may be a little harder to use, the GCB is still far better than climbing a ladder and cleaning out your gutters by hand and then moving the ladder every three to four feet. You will save time even though you may have to take breaks to give your arms and neck a rest.

Unfortunately, I would not recommended the Gutter Clutter Buster for gutters with any kind of gutter guard system. The gutter guards will prevent you from getting the GCB into the gutters. In addition, gutter guards should be preventing the worst of debris from collecting in your gutters anyway so it would be a waste of your money to buy a tool that you will not have to use.

Gutter Clutter Buster Pros

• You can use it from ground level – no ladder
• Easy to put together
• Lightweight enough for almost anyone to use
• Easy to clean

Gutter Clutter Buster Cons

• Harder to use the higher your gutters are
• Neck pains from looking up for long periods of time

If you would like to purchase this product, go here.

Gutter Clutter Buster provided GCT with a sample of their product for testing. This sample product will be shipped back by GCT upon completion of our review.

The main reason that you want the water and the hose is so you can test your gutter system. Once you think you have all the debris cleared out of the gutter, you need to test it to make sure that you do not have any more clogs, especially in the downspouts. Start at one end of your gutter system and start running water. Check to make sure that the slope of your gutters is steep enough so that no pools of water form. You want constant movement toward the downspout with no accumulation. The next thing you will check for is that the water flow continues out the bottom of the downspout at the same rate that it is going in. If the water only trickles out or stops coming out all together, then you know you have a clog somewhere.

If you do have the spray nozzle, your hose can be an even bigger help when it comes to cleaning you gutters. You can use the hose to dislodge debris and clogs. A regular garden hose under normal household pressure and a jet setting on your nozzle will have enough force to loosen almost any leaf clog in your gutters. You can also use the water to clear the gutter system of debris. Use the water stream to lift and throw the leaves and twigs out of your gutters. Then once the big stuff is gone you can use the pressure of your hose to clean off the mildew and muck that forms on the bottom of the gutter trough. Because gutters are usually made of aluminum or other lightweight materials, you cannot use a pressure washer to clean them as you would siding or other surfaces. The pressure from your hose is perfect.

You need to be careful when using your hose to clean your gutters though. Handling the hose up on a ladder can be tricky and you need to make sure that you always keep at least one hand on the ladder and do not lean. Make sure that the dangling hose is not caught on your feet or in your way when you are climbing up and down. A technique that I use is to tie the hose nozzle to my belt while I climb and make sure the hose stays on the outside of the ladder. Another safety precaution to keep in mind is that your ladder rungs will get slippery when they get wet. Anytime you bring water into the equation, the danger level of any home improvement task goes up. Be extra careful of your footing and hang on tight when climbing down a wet ladder.

The first thing you might consider doing to rinsing the gutters off with a garden hose. You probably dripped and made a little bit of a mess when you were scooping so you should use the hose to wash the inside and outside of the gutter system as well as the siding. Once you have washed away any loose drips or pieces, you need to inspect your gutter to see if any scrubbing in necessary.

A gutter brush is a round brush similar to ones you might have used in high school chemistry to wash out test tubes, except bigger. The round brush will scrub the bottom and both sides of the gutter at the same time. When mold or mildew builds up it can be hard to get off without a little elbow grease. If you can still not remove the stains then you might consider some kind of heavy duty household cleaner. But be careful to test the cleaner on a small area of the gutter first to make sure that it does not discolor or damage your gutters. Once the inside of the gutter system is clean, you will rinse with the hose again.

Your next step is to turn to the outside of your gutters. Many people are so concerned with getting out the clogs that they overlook the fact that the outside of the gutters is dirty and stained as well. You can clean the outside of the gutters with a sponge or cloth. If something more intense is needed then a scrub brush can be used as well. Remember to follow the same rules about cleaning solutions and pay even closer attention because everybody can see the outside of your gutters. You will be amazed at how much better your home looks from the curb with clean gutters.

First, you can make a pretty serviceable tool from an empty milk or juice container. You can reference my previous post for information on how to do this. You can also use any kind of powder scoop. You just want to make sure that the scoop has the right width. Gutter scoops are made in sizes that correspond to common gutter sizes so that the scoop is exactly the right size to fit into the gutter and scoop out all of the debris without having to do multiple passes. If you substitute other kinds of scoop then you will have to measure your gutters and the scoop to make sure it will fit and that you can collect a majority of the debris with one scooping action in each section.

Garden trowels are another alternative. The only problem with this kind of tool is that they usually do not have high sides like a gutter scoop and most of the things you dislodge with your scooping action will fall off the trowel before you can get it to the trash bag or collecting container you are using. This will slow you down considerably because you will have to pick up the same material over and over again. Secondly, you run the risk of dropping things off the trowel after you have left the gutter and dripping wet leaves and dirt down the side of you house.

If none of the tools you find in your home or shed seem to be quite right, then you can always use your hands. If you decide to clean out your gutters by hand then there are a few safety considerations. You do not want to touch the gutter debris with your bare hands so you must wear gloves. Any nitrile or latex glove will do. You just want to make sure that you will not come in direct contact with the possible bacteria or mold that might be growing in your gutters. Make sure the gloves extend past your wrist and when you put them on, try to pull them over your long sleeved shirt so that no skin is exposed.

First, rotting leaves and other tree debris can be breeding grounds for bacteria of several different varieties as well as mold. Touching possible mold contamination with your bare hands is not a good idea because a majority of the population suffers from some kind of mold allergy. The effects can range from a slight irritation of the throat to death. Even if you wear gloves you risk inadvertent exposure. By distancing yourself form the debris with a long handled gutter scoop, you minimize your chances of mold exposure.

Second, gutter cleaning can be a little bit messy. When you pick up piles of wet debris with your hands, material seeps out between your fingers and from others areas of your fist. As you move that hand from the gutter to the garbage bag you brought up the ladder, you could be dripping dirty water and debris onto your siding. A scoop with high sides will make sure that material does not fall out in the short amount of time it takes to go from the gutter to the trash bag.

Finally, using a gutter tool like the scoop will make the gutter cleaning go much faster. A piece of equipment can pick up significantly more material with every scoop than your hands can. In addition, the long handle allows you to clean a larger section of gutter system before having to climb down and move the ladder. That step is clearly the most time consuming. All in all gutter scoops are a good way to protect yourself, the cleanliness of your siding, and the amount of time you need to spend cleaning your gutters.

If you want to make your own gutter scoop then you probably have or will have all the things you need in your house right now. The first thing you will need is an empty plastic bottle such as a milk jug. You will also need a pair of scissors and a pen. If you wait a few days an empty container is bound to show up and I think that pretty much everyone has a pen and a pair of scissors in their home.

It is important to remember to keep the lid of the container. If you throw away the lid then there will be a hole at the end of the scoop where you intend the debris to settle. That would make the tool unusable. Your next step is to orient the bottle so that you can hold it by the handle and it is on its side. You want to handle on the upper most side. This means that the bottle will be oriented so that the bottom of the bottle is facing you in a diamond shape. Once you have the right orientation you need to start making your cut lines.

Start at the bottom corner and draw a V up to the two middle corners. You will now have a V on the former bottom of the milk jug. Remember that the top corner is the same side of the container as the handle. Next, put a dot somewhere between the bottom of the handle and that last unmarked corner. Finally connect the dot to the two middle corners. The lines will go down the former sides of the milk jug. If you cut along these lines, you will get a perfectly serviceable gutter scoop. So you can make a gutter scoop for at virtually no cost to you.

Gutter scoops are just as they sound. They are tools for scooping out the debris. They usually have high sides so that their capacity is as great as possible. The more debris you get with every scooping action, the faster the chore will go. For the same reason they are usually quite long. The picture to the right shows a good example of a gutter scoop.

Another attribute is that they often have long handles. The reason for the long handle is that cleaning your gutter takes place on a ladder. Therefore, you can only reach so far before you have to climb down and move the ladder. The longer the handle, the larger the section of gutter you can clean before getting down. This will also help shorten the time you will spend on this necessary household task. Moving the ladder is often the most time consuming step.

These tools can be purchased at a large home improvement warehouse like Home Depot or Lowes, or maybe even your local hardware store. However, you do not have to buy something called a gutter scoop specifically. Any large scoop will do. A garden trowel, a large spoon, or even an empty milk jug with one side cut out can serve as serviceable gutter scoops. The only rules are that the tool be able to scoop out debris and be easy to handle.

You can make your gutter guards entirely from scratch by buying some chicken wire or vinyl mesh on a roll and a few gutter clips. The first step is to measure you gutter system carefully. You want to know how wide they are so that you can cut the mesh just a little bit larger. You also need to get accurate measurements of the length of each section. However, you do not want to make one long piece of gutter guard to fasten on and cover the entire length of the house. Instead, you want to cut as many three to four feet sections as you will need so that you can overlap the pieces a little still cover the entire length.

Cutting the pieces can be accomplished with a pair of wire cutters or snips. When you come to the corners you will have to do a little more cutting. For outside gutter corners you can cut the screens on an angle so that they come together nicely at the corner. There is no need for overlap here. However, if you come to an inside corner you should allow the straight pieces from the long sections come all the way to the end and overlap each other. The reason you want extra protection here is that an inside gutter corner is usually at a spot where the eaves of your roof come to a valley. Debris collects here and is funneled toward your gutter system. Extra gutter guards are always welcome in these situations.

The gutter clips are fasteners that hook into a loop or hole in the mesh or wire screen and then slip on to the front of the gutter system. Once the gutter clips are in place, you can lay the mesh over the bottom of the shingles on your roof. You can make sure the vinyl mesh or chicken wire stays in place by using small thumb tacks in you shingles. This overlapping of the shingles and gutter screen will make sure there is no way for debris to fall into your gutters.

An alternative to cutting your own sections of gutter guard out of chicken wire or vinyl mesh rolls is to buy premade gutter screen pieces at your local hardware. These pieces are usually made of aluminum which will not rust and are already in three or four foot sections.

The first type is gutter screens. The gutter screens can be broken down further into two sub categories. Some screens lay flat across the top of your gutters and some have a curved shape to them so that they are convex over the top of the gutters. There are advantages to both types. The flat gutter screens are harder to see from ground level. If they are installed correctly you will not even be able to tell they are there. However, the flat surface is the perfect place for leaves and debris to settle. If the holes get covered up by leaves, then the water will have nowhere to go and will run off the side of the house rather than into the gutter system. The curved gutter mesh screens work better in this respect. The curved edges encourage debris to fall off and do not get clogged up as easily. However, you can see these screens from the ground and might be bad for your curb appeal.

The second type of gutter guard system available from Amerimax are what they call shingle gutter covers. These gutter covers are a combination of a solid cover and a screen. There are layers that are mesh and layers that are solid. The screen locks into the far side of the gutters and lays over the roof so that it blends in with your shingles. The sloped bend allows debris to slide off but the water to fall into the gutter.

The third type of gutter guard is a solid cover that works on the principle of water adhesion. These solid covers have a nice look to them and cannot get clogged with leaves or debris because the opening for the water is actually over the edge. The leaves have already fallen off the house by the time the water turns the corner and is falling into the gutter system.

Most of the gutter guard systems from Amerimax snap into place in between the edges of the gutter opening. This makes it easy to remove the guards if you ever need access to the gutters for cleaning or on the off chance that something gets through the guard. However, there are some that attach using clips. These meal clips grab the edge of the gutter system and hold the gutter guard into place. You generally only install these on one side leaving the other side free to bend up if you need access to the gutters.

The first type of gutter guard is the mesh or screen variety. With mesh or screen gutter guards, a piece of aluminum or plastic with small holes is fitted over the gutter. The holes are large enough to let water through, but too small to allow leaves or other tree debris to fall in. This is the less expensive kind of gutter protection system. You can even make your own gutter screens with some chicken wire. The advantage of this kind of system is that it is easy to remove if you do need to get inside the gutters to clean. One disadvantage is that it is possible that someone might be able to see the screen from the ground and they are not necessarily the most attractive addition to your home.

The second variety of gutter guards is solid covers. Instead of a mesh or screen with many holes covering the top of the gutters, there is a solid piece of plastic or aluminum. Then, at the very edge of the gutter system there is a small side slot that lets water in. You might be wondering why the water doesn’t just fall off the edge if the entire gutter is blocked by a solid barrier. The answer is something called water adhesion. The water running down your roof clings to the gutter guard longer than the debris that falls off the edge of the roof. As the water slows down and clings to the edge, it falls into the gutter. This type of gutter protection is much more attractive to the observer, but it is much more expensive.

The advantage of having a gutter guard system at all is that you will have to clean your gutters less often. Instead of having to clean out leaves and junk twice a year, you might be able to get away with cleaning them once every other year. Another advantage is that, with the solid gutter guard systems at least, they add beauty to your home. The curb appeal of your house will be higher. That can help with resale value.