As soon as the autumn leaves begin to fall, you can guarantee that your gutters are going to begin getting clogged.
It is surprising the amount of dirt and debris that can gather in your gutters during the summer months, and this only becomes worse as the nights get colder. So when the leaves start to change color, this is your cue to clean your gutters.
Now, cleaning your gutters is, of course, a very tedious job, and because of this a lot of people try and delay doing it. But this can result in lots of damage and hassle which you could really do without.
One way to make cleaning your gutters easier is to use a pressure washer, so let’s take a look at how you can do this.
Can you clean gutters with a pressure washer?
Before we take a look at how to clean your gutters with a pressure washer, let’s establish whether or not you can actually do this. Pressure washers are incredibly powerful machines and in comparison to other elements of your home, your gutters are fairly weak. But despite this, it is perfectly safe to use a pressure washer on your gutters.
Pressure washers are better for cleaning gutters than just a regular hose pipe as the force of the water will help clear the gutters of any leaves and debris which are causing them to become clogged.
So your pressure washer will not only clear any dirt and get your gutters looking clean, but it will also clear them and help prevent overflowing as the autumn months turn to winter.
If you decide to use a pressure washer on your gutters, you must take the necessary safety precautions. There is no knowing what is clogged up in your gutters, and there is always the chance that the water pressure could send all sorts flying towards you.
Due to this, it is very important that you use eye protection, and follow all the other safety precautions for pressure washer use.
How to clean gutters with a pressure washer
So now that we have established that you can clean your gutters with a pressure washer, let’s take a look at how you should do this. Pressure washing your gutters isn’t as simple as just using the machine, there is a lot of preparation that needs to be done. So let’s have a look at where you need to begin.
Before you even get your pressure washer out, you should first move all of your garden furniture away from your home and gutters. As well as this, you should also move any potted plants or vegetation that is near your home as far away as possible.
If you have a lot of furniture and plants in your garden you must leave a path when moving these out of the way to ensure that you have a clear space near the gutters, to avoid any accidental falls caused by things being beneath your feet.
Once you have cleared the area, it is time for the next safety precaution: goggles. For this, you can either use safety goggles or glasses, and you must wear them to avoid debris falling into your eyes and causing harm. After you have got your goggles on, you can then grab your pressure washer.
Now if your worried about ladders and roof falls, there is a safe solution. A 24 ft telescoping pressure washer wand.
So now with your pressure washer out, you should then connect a telescoping wand or extension to the device to allow you to reach as high as the gutters on your home. But remember, just because your feet are on the ground doesn’t mean there are no safety concerns. Keep your path free from tripping hazards because all your attention will be looking up.
Also, a 10 or 15′ pressurized stick waving through the air can take some getting used to. Be sure to stay far and away from any overhead power lines.
The good thing about both extensions and telescoping wands is that they allow you to adjust the length of the connection to suit your needs, so set it to the longest length or the one that is most appropriate for your home.
Onto the end of the wand or extension, you should then add a gutter cleaning attachment. Most of these devices have a ‘U’ shape and look slightly like a hook. With this attachment connected, you can then turn on the pressure washer and begin to clean your gutters. You should start with the down spurts and then move onto working on the gutters. As you work you will be able to see the dirt and debris coming loose from the gutter. When the water begins to run clear, this is a good sign that the gutters are clean.
Why should you clean your gutters?
So we’ve told you how to clean your gutters with a pressure washer, but you might still be asking yourself ‘why do I need to clean my gutters?’
After all, the primary purpose of gutters is to collect water from your roof and direct it down to the ground in a pattern that is safe for your home. So it’s not strange that you may think this would clean your gutters as the water runs.
But this isn’t the case. As well as collecting water, your gutters also collect dirt, and leaves, and all sorts of other things that find their way there. To begin with, this debris will not cause a problem, but as the weight builds up this can cause damage to your gutters.
There is a good chance that you might not notice the damage this is causing until a particularly rainy day. Water is surprisingly heavy and this will just add more weight to the already clogged gutters, which often results in them falling loose from the wall or snapping.
This is why you must clean your gutters out regularly as this will prevent the gutters from becoming overly clogged. So, when it is a rainy day the water will simply run through the gutters, and you do not have to worry about any damage occurring to your gutters or your home.
Summary
In short, there you have it, a complete guide to cleaning your gutters using a pressure washer.
It is a surprisingly simple task and a highly effective way to clear your gutters of any dirt and debris which could cause damage.
