Regular gutter cleaning is an important aspect to maintaining and protecting your Vancouver area home or building from water damage that can occur when all that water isn’t able to properly flow away from the house. But if you don’t know what you’re doing this project can be more dangerous than many people realize. Each year, a significant number of homeowners are injured trying to clean out their gutters and more serious accidents could result in fatalities.

 

To help you stay safe while taking care of your gutter cleaning in Vancouver, we’ve put together a list of the best tips we’ve learned in the field to help protect yourself:

 

Don’t Scrimp on Ladder Safety

It seems like a no-brainer but the most common reason injuries are sustained when cleaning gutters is from a fall off the ladder.  It’s important to use the buddy system, let someone know that you’re going to be using a ladder.  Before going up the ladder, give it a once over for sturdiness and check for any damage you might have forgotten about from prior years.   Also ensure that you are using an adequate size ladder for the building you are working on.  A four-legged step ladder is suitable for a single-story home, but bring out the extension ladder for 2 or more stories.

 

Use a Garden Hose

Pressure spray is a good way to clear the gutters and check for blockages but to ensure that you have adequate balance, use a trigger spray nozzle that you can operate with one hand.  This gives you more stability and control while keeping a hand free to hang on.

 

Get a Gutter Scoop

A plastic scoop is an easier and faster way to collect the debris that has overtaken your gutter.  Plastic is better than metal as you don’t need to be concerned with scraping or catching on a seam.

 

Eye and Hand Protection

Even with a gutter scoop, it’s still important to protect your hands. Often time seams and jagged edges lurk around every corner waiting to slice into your skin so a thick suede is the best glove for this purpose.  Safety glasses are also a must, nothing is worse than a twig in the eye while standing at the top of a ladder.

 

When in Doubt Go Rubber

Another best practice for ladder safety is rubber-soled shoes.   These will help you maintain balance and control going up and down the ladder and will go a long way towards keeping you steady while you’re cleaning out gutters.

 

Call the Professionals

If this seems like a lot of effort, you’re not confident that you have the proper equipment or have come to the realization that you’re a procrastinator; you can call a gutter cleaning company in Vancouver for top-notch service in half the time.  We’re experts, leave it to us. For questions or a free quote give us a call, AquaSeal Gutters in Vancouver 604-767-9500.