Cleaning your eavestrough is a delicate task that requires extra safety precaution. If not properly done, chances of injury are high, especially from falls. To avoid ending up in an emergency room with a life-threatening injury, you need to be extra cautious when climbing a ladder to clean an eavestrough. If there is a dangerous DIY task you can attempt at home, this is it.
But why should you even bother cleaning your eavestroughs? When your eavestrough is blocked due to dirt and debris, water can spill down your home, causing structural problems, weakening the foundation of your home, causing soffit rot, causing basement flooding, and creating mildew and mould, and more.
These problems can be very expensive to fix besides the fact that they are extremely unseemly. A clog-free eavestrough diverts water from your home and prevents water damages. Cleaning it regularly and thoroughly is therefore important.
To minimize or eliminate the chances of eavestrough cleaning accidents, the following safety tips are highly recommended:
1. Get Someone to Stabilize the Ladder
If you are going to clean the eavestroughs, you either get someone who cares about you to stabilize your ladder’s bottom, or alert them you will be using the ladder to clean your gutters. In case the worst happens and you fall, it helps if someone is nearby to attend to your injuries or rush you to hospital.
2. Use a Sturdy Ladder
The best ladder for climbing a roof is sturdy enough to hold your weight. It should feature a small shelf on which to hang a 5-gallon bucket for collecting debris and dirt. Before you start climbing the ladder, inspect it first. Fasten all the bolts and screws and make sure there are no loose or defective parts.
3. Avoid Overreaching
Overreaching or going on a limb could expose you to a serious ladder injury. Instead, move the ladder to the eavestrough spot where you want to clean. Leaning over at an angle and attempting to clean a section of the eavestrough that is more than an arm’s length away from your current position is courting serious trouble. Don’t do it! To be on the safe side (literally), always make sure one of your hands and your feet are firmly attached to the ladder.
4. Wear Protective Eavestrough Cleaning Gear
To protect your hands from rotting leaf debris and other forms of dirt, always wear gloves. In most cases, this debris contains squirrel, pigeon and bird’s feces that could be bacteria-infested. You also need to wear protective eye gear since there is no telling what could crawl or fly out of the downspout. For instance, when disturbed, wasps that usually love to hide in gutters always go for the eyes – and you know how that could end up. Having the right pair of shoes before climbing a ladder is crucial. In this regard, rubber-soled shoes are highly recommended to prevent slip-and-fall accidents.
5. Observe the Surroundings
Are there power line cables nearby? You need to take note of power line cables near you. Scan the area where an electric cable joins the roof before you start cleaning your eavestroughs or gutters. Resist the temptation to repair damaged or broken wires, unless you are a qualified electrician who knows what you are doing. Otherwise, your only option is to call a licensed professional electrician to deal with the situation.
6. Use a Leaf Guard Gutter System
To eliminate the need for cleaning your eavestroughs, use a leaf guard gutter system to keep it clog-free. For instance, investing in a good quality gutter can keep your eavestrough clog-free for up to 40 years. This prolongs your gutter and eavestrough lifespan and safeguards your home from potential water runoff damages.
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