Clean Your Gutters to Prevent Water Damage

Throughout the year, debris accumulates in your gutters and clogs your downspouts. This rotting debris attracts carpenter ants and mosquitoes. It causes puddles or ice dams to form on your roof, and rooftop water eventually causes leaks. Plus overflowing water impacts foundation and basement. You must clean your gutters to safeguard against water damage. Frost King recommends that you clean your gutters at least twice per year. It's a straightforward do-it-yourself task for single-storey homeowners. If your home is more than one level or you're not comfortable going up a ladder to work, play it safe and hire a gutter-cleaning professional. Cleaning your gutters and downspouts takes no more than a sunny Saturday morning to complete. Continue reading this post to learn how to do it the Frost King way. The best time to clean your gutters is after a few sunny days. This allows the debris to dry out, making it easier to remove it from gutters and downspouts. Plus a lot less messier for you. If today is the day to clean your gutters, put on safety glasses and gloves, and let's get to it? Here's a list of what?s needed to clean your gutters: a gutter scoop, a ladder, a bucket with wire hooks and a garden hose with a nozzle or a gutter cleaning attachment. If your gutters need to be repaired, you may also need a gutter and roof patch, a drill with drill bits and touch-up paint. Remember: Frost King has patented products that help you do more to protect your roof, your home and your foundation against overflowing gutters and clogged downspouts, including downspout guards, downspout screens, snap-in gutter screens and mesh gutter guards.

1. Remove leaves and twigs from around the downspout. Use a gutter scoop or a trowel to clean out packed debris. Remember to remove and clean out any guards or screens.


2. Use a garden hose with a nozzle or a gutter cleaning attachment to remove excess debris, spraying towards the downspout. If debris does not drain, you must clean your downspout.


3. Remove any guards, screens or debris from the bottom of your downspout. Insert a garden hose into the bottom of the downspout, turn it on and allow the water to loosen-up debris. If there is a major blockage, you may need to use a plumber's snake to remove debris.


4. If your gutter still has standing water, you may need to address its slope (decline 1/4" every 10" towards the downspout) or install additional hangers (one every two feet). Your home improvement specialists at your favorite retailer can help you choose the best solution.


5. Finally, adding additional protection, such as downspout guards, downspout screens, snap-in gutter screens or mesh gutter guards, can help you keep your roof and home leak-free.

Frost King has an assortment of gutter cleaning accessories with patented designs to help your gutters and downspouts operate at peak efficiency. If you have questions about installing and using any of our products, please view our FAQs, call 1-800-299-5700 or send us a message.