Cleaning the gutters

[scipper77]

When I came home today it was pouring. I noticed that the water was pouring over the top of the gutter in front of my garage. Then I noticed that water was overflowing every gutter I have.

So I got out the ladder and raincoat and begun clearing the gutters in the pouring rain. Every gutter was stuffed with leaves. The last time I cleaned out my gutters was when i was putting up Christmas lights, well after the trees had lost there leaves for the winter.

So how often should I be cleaning out my gutters?

 

[southkogs]

Re: Cleaning the gutters

I think it depends. I only check mine about twice a year - and I really gauge that against one of the runs. I don't have many trees close by the house, and the few that are there are well below the roof line, so I don't fill up very often. My last house however had 12 mature trees on the lot, and all of them were towering over the house ... probably looked at those gutters more like 3 or 4 times a year.

 

[88wellcraft]

Re: Cleaning the gutters

We do ours regularly twice a year.....if i notice them start to overflow i'll get out and clean the bad area.

 

[Fishing Dude too]

Re: Cleaning the gutters

Have the same trouble at the lake house. Have made a device that hooks to hose lets me be on the ground do every spring.

 

[dingbat]

Re: Cleaning the gutters

The house is in the middle of a grove of oaks and we get large amounts of oak "strings" and leaves every year. I have not cleaned a single gutter since we had installed Gutter Helmets 6 years ago. Best investment I've made in a while

http://www.gutterhelmetprotects.com/gutterhelmetprotects-04/how-it-works.cfm?ctid=6&cpid=2&ac=yes

 

[chriscraft254]

Re: Cleaning the gutters

X2 on the gutter helmet. Worth every penny and no risking falling off the ladder or roof for some rotten leaves.

The house is in the middle of a grove of oaks and we get large amounts of oak "strings" and leaves every year. I have not cleaned a single gutter since we had installed Gutter Helmets 6 years ago. Best investment I've made in a while

http://www.gutterhelmetprotects.com/gutterhelmetprotects-04/how-it-works.cfm?ctid=6&cpid=2&ac=yes

 

[Beefer]

Re: Cleaning the gutters

I'm not a fan of gutter helmets/shields/covers, etc., and if anyone should be, it's me. I have 2 huge trees that are constantly dropping their leaves, and/or berries (a fig variety actually). I have to clean my gutters monthly. Here in FL, we can get 2" of rain in an hour regularly, and that amount of rain will shoot over the gutters with the shields. The shields can not keep 100% of dirt and debris out of the gutter, and they will eventually need to be cleaned, and the cover will make it nearly impossible.

So to the original question, it depends on your house how frequently you'll need to clean them.

 

[Mark42]

Re: Cleaning the gutters

I swear, the next house (or this one in a few years) will have the gutters ripped off, and the shrubs pulled out, and concrete poured from the foundation to about 4 to 10 feet from the foundation. Then the shrubs start, and the roof can pour right onto the concrete. That way, the house has a "pattio" all around it where chairs can be set, and shrubs can be used as a screen against the road.

Gutters are a pain. Run off from the roof will eventually cut into the concrete. So something like Belgen Block needs to be set "short side" side by side right under the drip line. Takes a crap load of years for drips to eat its way through Belgen block.

Anyway, that is my solution to gutters.

 

[mommicked]

Re: Cleaning the gutters

I became frustrated that my gutters would overflow from clogged drains only days after I cleaned them and the roof, dandrels and seedcrap in the spring and leaves,pinestraw in the fall. As water again flowed out and down the side of the house days after the third cleaning in weeks, during a long lasting storm I saw on the regional radar, I'D had ENOUGH. I grabbed some tin shears and my ladder and cut the ends out of the gutters letting the water and debris cascade out in a beautifull arc............ while my wife called me Redneck and told me to get out of the dang thunderstorm They drain faster now, but they still get clogged easily.

 

[25thmustang]

Re: Cleaning the gutters

My father does not have gutters on his house. It is terrible trying to get in during a hard rain. There is basically a sheet of water to get through. Even during a light rain, your bound to get very wet trying to get past the edge of the roof.

I have gutter helmets (although not sure the brand) and when I did my Christmas lights last November, the gutters were spotless. I will check them again next month, but so far so good.

 

[scipper77]

Re: Cleaning the gutters

So approximately how much per linear foot/yard does it cost to install the gutter helmet system?

Last year I used my leaf blower to clear my gutters. It worked like a charm but blew dirty water on the side of the house that had to be cleaned, negating the time the leaf blower saved me.

 

[bigdee]

Re: Cleaning the gutters

I swear, the next house (or this one in a few years) will have the gutters ripped off, and the shrubs pulled out, and concrete poured from the foundation to about 4 to 10 feet from the foundation. Then the shrubs start, and the roof can pour right onto the concrete. That way, the house has a "pattio" all around it where chairs can be set, and shrubs can be used as a screen against the road.

Gutters are a pain. Run off from the roof will eventually cut into the concrete. So something like Belgen Block needs to be set "short side" side by side right under the drip line. Takes a crap load of years for drips to eat its way through Belgen block.

Anyway, that is my solution to gutters.

I have to agree....if you can get by without them take them off. I got tired of cleaning mine and replacing rotted fascia boards so I ripped them down except where they were needed over entry doors. IMO it is better to control the run-off on the ground rather than on he roof if it is just a one story house.

 

[dingbat]

Re: Cleaning the gutters

So approximately how much per linear foot/yard does it cost to install the gutter helmet system?

When I had mine done it was ~$12 a foot.

 

[greenbush future]

Re: Cleaning the gutters

I have to have gutters, if I didn?t we would have floods in our basements and roting foundations, I trimmed all tree?s around my houses so very few leaves ever enter, then put French drains to get the water away from the house foundation. I also use the leaf blower, hook extension so I can reach them from the ground.

 

[Bob_VT]

Re: Cleaning the gutters

NOT a common Vermont item........... way too much ice and snow so.....they tend to be short lived.

 

[jigngrub]

Re: Cleaning the gutters

Been living in this house for 7 years and never cleaned a gutter!

... we don't have any trees close enough to the house to drop leaves in out gutters.


... and we don't have to worry about severe storms or tornados blowing trees over on our house and killing us or damaging our home either.



... and our insurance rates are cheaper.

 

[Redneck_Randy]

Re: Cleaning the gutters

Here you go guy's.

http://store.irobot.com/category/index.jsp?categoryId=3334470&cp=2804605

Odds are it's junk just like their floor cleaning robots. LOL