Cleaning gutters in winter is never nice, but it’s always necessary. Make sure you always clean them at the start of winter and take out what you can (usually sticks and leaves). Things like sludge might require expert help.
Creating conditions to keep your gutters clean is easier than constantly having to clean them. Trimming your trees is a great way to do this as it prevents loose leaves and debris from clogging up your gutters.
That’s only one top tip, here are some more tips on cleaning gutters in winter.
Clean at the Start of Winter
The best time to be cleaning gutters in winter would be right at the beginning. This is at the time of the year when leaves are beginning to fall, and the rain is not as harsh as it’s going to be.
At this stage, as well as cleaning them, you can make sure they’re working as they should, and everything is in place and stable. If there is an issue, it’s better to get it sorted out early than to let the issue become worse. When a problem is allowed to escalate, this could lead to costly repairs or replacements.
At the beginning of winter, the contents of your gutters shouldn’t be frozen, so most things should be easy enough to take out.
Check the Contents
There are two main kinds of debris that you will find in a gutter.
Dry contents, such as leaves or twigs, are generally fairly easy to clean up. All you need to get them out the way is a pair of hands. If you find something like a bird’s nest, you might want to gently place it somewhere safe, not in the bin.
But, other things, such as muck and sludge, can be harder to remove. If they get into the wrong part of your guttering, they can prevent the water from draining away. Instead of going into the drainage system, your dirty water could end up in your garden. Having to clean a dirty garden is worse than cleaning gutters in winter!
Trim any nearby trees
Once the gutter is clean, the next step is to stop it from getting dirty again. And one way to do this is to trim nearby trees. It’s a small step, but it can make a world of difference.
Usually, the things that occupy our gutters include leaves, twigs, and stones. The one thing they all have in common is where they come from – trees. Even stones are dropped in from trees by birds.
If your trees grow in the winter, it might be wise to find a way to make them grow away from your house.
Hire experts
There are several things we’ve mentioned that might not be possible for all of you.
For example, if you are unable to reach your gutters to clean them, if some sludge is clogging up the gutter and you don’t have the equipment to fix it, or if your gutters are hard to reach. It’s often always recommended to reach out to gutter cleaning experts who know how to effectively unclog gutters safely.
The best solution to clean gutters this winter is to hire a gutter maintenance expert. Our team can help you to solve any gutter-related issue that you cannot solve by yourself.
Contact Us
If you need help, fill in this contact form and one of our team will be in touch with you to figure out the best solution to whatever your problem is. Whether that’s a hand doing simple cleaning or removing sludge from where it shouldn’t be in your gutters.