Cleaning gutters is possibly the one task that trumps unclogging toilets as homeowner’s least favorite tasks to undertake. This may be because of the time it takes to unclog their gutters, or perhaps the knowledge that you could put it off, if you really wanted to, but that the job would just be that much worse if you did. Well, maybe its a tie, then. The only way to combat clogged gutters is to face the problem head-on. Leaving the leaves to build up will do little else but allow detritus to build up and eventually begin growing — literally. Over time, the leaves will compact themselves and turn to compost. If this compost is wet when seeds begin falling from the trees, you’ll have quite a bit larger problem with trees growing on your roof than you might have if you had just bit the bullet.
It’s best to choose a sunny, relatively cool day to clean your gutters after a few days of dry weather. When leaves begin to compost, they can take on a pretty bad smell, and water added to the composted leaves only makes the problem worse, not to mention the chances that there could be standing water in the gutters with mosquitoes nearby. Once the leaves are dried out, they’re easier to get out anyway. Wear gloves and old clothes, mostly because you’ll find that there are a number of sharp edges both on the gutters themselves, as well as on the edges of your asphalt shingles. Collect up the leaves in a bucket and empty them out somewhere in your yard where you do want to put compost. In a garden, for instance.
After the leaves are removed, you will find that there is a large amount of what appears to be sand inside the gutter. This is the loose grit from your shingles that the water runoff works loose. This is the reason that roofs tend to need replacements every 15 to 25 years or so. Eventually, most of the asphalt will wash off the shingles. Remove as much of it as you can with your gloves, and when you can’t get to any more, use a garden hose to push the grit toward a downspout. It might take a little while, but you can wash the grit down the spout, leaving your gutter shining like new.
Once the gutter is clean, check the downspouts for clogs or animal nests, particularly if its been a dry season. Mice and ground squirrels might take advantage of the lower portions of the downspout, while it isn’t unheard of to see a bird nest lodged halfway down from the top. Make certain to clean the gutters out at least once every year, and the job will be much less tedious and time consuming. Of course, you could always pay a neighborhood kid or your daughter’s boyfriend to do it. But then, what would you want to pay him for? Shouldn’t he be kissin’ up anyway?