How to Clean and Maintain your Gutters

Read below to find out how to maintain and clean your gutters by yourself.

dirty clogged gutter maintenance
Dirty, clogged gutters

Cleaning Gutters

  • Make sure the weather is decent. You don’t want to clean the gutters when the debris is wet. It will be too heavy and take a bit longer.
  • Start cleaning the gutters close to the downspout. You will want to use heavy duty gloves.
  • Remove all large debris, including twigs golf balls and frisbees, and dump it in a bucket.
  • Clean out the finer materials by flushing out the gutters with a hose starting on the opposite end of the downspout. You can also use a garden trowel or a small child’s shovel.
Hose out gutters maintenance
Hose out gutters

Gutter Maintenance

Once you have cleaned out the gutters you may notice that they need some maintenance. If there is still standing water after cleaning out the gutters, they might not be sloped correctly and will need to be adjusted. The gutter system should slope 1/4″ every 10 feet towards the downspout. You may need to detach the gutters and adjust them to drain properly. I would suggest working in small sections so that you do not damage the gutters, gutter guards or hangers. Detach the hangers and adjust to slope as suggested above. Reattach the hangers. They should be hung every two feet. Check out this to see other problems that might happen with your gutters.

Gutter Hangers repair
Gutter Hangers

To Replace or Add Gutter Hangers

Install Screw and Ferrule hangers as seen here, by marking their position on the gutter. Drill holes in the lip of the gutter and fascia, then drive the screw through the ferrule with a drill.

To install screw-in or hidden hangers, as seen here, follow the manufacture’s directions. Most are attached through the rear of the gutter and into the fascia board. Then clip to the inside front of the gutter.

If there is no fascia board to attach the gutters to, use roof hangers with straps, as seen here. Follow the directions on the package. Typical installation involves attaching a hanger across the gutter channel. Then clip a strap to the hanger and attach the hanger underneath the shingles.

You can always contact Spartan Roofing to come out and inspect your gutters for free, anytime.