Do-it-yourself cleaning of gutters and downpipes

Downpipes and gutters are the main devices designed to protect the roof, walls and foundation of the house from rainwater. But sooner or later, under the influence of adverse weather conditions, they become clogged. Moreover, a clogged gutter and clogged pipes pose a greater danger than their complete absence. Water begins to flow down the walls of the house, the facade gets wet, the foundation is washed away, and the gutter overflowing with water and debris can collapse and break off the roof curb and harm the surrounding landscape design of the site, namely, plants growing close to the cottage. In winter, frozen water can simply break the drainpipe and deform the gutter. Therefore, gutters and downpipes must be cleaned without fail.

Processing and cleaning of drainpipes and gutters is recommended to be carried out at least twice a year – in the fall, when the leaf fall ends, and in the spring, after the trees have faded and seeds, earrings and other fluff have fallen from them, and you should not forget about the winter cleaning drainpipes and gutters from snow and ice.

How to clean the gutters and drainage system?

Cleaning and processing downpipes and gutters can be done in three ways:

• manually, when a worker climbs onto the roof and, using special garden tools, removes all the garbage;
• with the help of water, when debris from downpipes and gutters are washed using a strong pressure of water;
• by blowing, that is, with the help of compressed air supplied by the compressor.

The second and third in residential buildings are most often done only by professional gutter cleaning companies, as they require skills and the use of special equipment. The cost of gutter cleaning in Chicago is determined depending on the amount of work. For high-rise non-residential buildings, it is naturally better to give preference to an automated method, since getting to the roof will be problematic.

Rinsing is used as an additional method to wash out the remaining dirt, and is almost never used as the main one.

It is better to carry out cleaning 2 times a year: in late autumn and early spring. During autumn, a lot of leaves accumulate, which must be removed before snowfalls, so that they do not rot and increase, and so much weight of which will affect the drain. In early spring, it is preparation for spring and summer rains, that is, for increased exploitation. The dirt accumulated over the winter is removed and a scheduled inspection is carried out.

Cleaning gutters and drainage systems

You can clean the gutters manually using a stiff plastic bristle brush and a semi-circular scoop. You will also need a high, and most importantly stable ladder, and rubber gloves. The bristles must be plastic, as metal rods can scratch the material, which will lead to premature wear.

It is better to start the process after rain, or after “watering” the gutter from above. This is necessary in order to make it more convenient to rake the leaves with a brush, and they do not scatter. The whole process is very simple and consists in brushing the leaves into a scoop, and throwing your own. It is important to ensure that leaves and large debris do not fall into the pipe, as this will complicate its further cleaning. Follow the link you can find more information of gutter cleaning service https://windowwashingexpert.com/.

Important to remember: How to clean gutters and downpipes

In order to clean the pipe, its end is closed with a mesh that is able to retain dirt, and at the same time pass water that will drain. After that, the gutters are washed, and the pipe itself, using a garden hose. Thus, you will not only clean the pipe of dirt, but also carry out the second stage to clean the gutter. Fallen leaves and debris will remain on the grid, which is removed at the end.

Also, for this procedure, a special cleaning hatch is used, through which you can remove objects stuck in the drain, but, unfortunately, not everyone installs it, so rinsing with water pressure is the best option.

Things to remember about drain and gutter cleaning:

• Conduct 2 times a year: late autumn and early spring
• Only a plastic brush is used
• After mechanical cleaning, the system must be flushed with water.
• If there is a hatch, it is convenient to use it to remove contaminants from the pipe
• Don’t Forget Your Scheduled Inspections

It is also important to regularly inspect pipes and gutters for damage. If they are detected, it is necessary to take appropriate measures, if they are small and it is possible to install a patch, then you can get by with it. And if the damage is large, you will have to replace the components. But the replacement is best done in the spring, since it is during the winter that new cracks may appear.

As a preventive measure against soiling the gutters, you can treat them with a detergent solution, which not only removes dirt, but also prevents the appearance of mold and algae. To prevent fewer leaves from falling into the downpipe and preventing birds from nesting in it, a ball of wire can be placed at the top of the downpipe.