I think that most people have the idea when you say the words gutter cleaning. You need to climb up to your gutter system and scoop out any and all debris that might be clogging them. For this main part of the cleaning process you need to gutter cleaning essentials such as a ladder, a gutter scoop, a trash bag, and personal protective equipment like a mask and gloves. However, there are other areas of gutter the gutter system and cleaning these areas needs some special consideration.

One of the most overlooked gutter parts is the corners. There are actually two different types of corners, inside corners and outside corners. Inside corners are places where the roof line comes to an inward facing point. If you are traveling left down the roof line and then the roof line turns to the left, that is an inside corner. Outside corners are where the house comes to an outside facing point or a corner. If you are traveling left down the roof line and the roof line turns to the right, that is an outside corner. These areas are some of the easiest to clog because the width of the gutter system gets a little smaller. Inside corners are a particular problem because the roof often has a valley at these points and that is a great place for leaves and debris to end up. Then the pile slowly travels down the valley and into the gutters. Your regular gutter scoop might not work here so you should get something small or prepare to use your hands.

Another gutter part to consider is the seams. No gutter system is made of one continuous piece. Each system is made of several pieces and where they come together and are attached to one another is a seam. The seams are places where dirt and grime can get caked on and even work its way under one edge of the seam and start to make the outside of the gutter system look dirty. To clean in these areas you not only need regular gutter cleaning tools to scoop away the debris, but you need to scrub. That is why a gutter brush is important. A gutter brush is a round cylinder shaped brush that looks similar to a very fat test tube brush. It should have a handle that starts out at a ninety degree angle to the brush and then turns another ninety degrees where you hold it so that you hand is not getting stuck in the gutters.

Finally, you need to consider the downspouts. These are the parts of the gutter system that carry the water from the roof line down the side of the house and away from the foundation. You cannot scoop debris out of your downspouts because they are completely enclosed. Instead, you should test them by putting water down the top with the garden hose and making sure a similar amount of water flows out the bottom at a similar speed and in a reasonable amount of time. If you determine there is a clog, then you should try to see where it is with a flashlight. Then, you will have to take apart the downspout at the closest seam so that you can reach the clog.