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jimtnc

Rain Gutter Brush

jimtnc
16 years ago

Does anyone know where I might find a gutter brush that looks something like in this link below or similar? I find it a very unpleasant thought falling off my ladder anymore. Thanks.

Here is a link that might be useful: Click here

Comments (11)

  • canguy
    16 years ago

    Looks like something you could make from a small brush and a paint roller. I doubt if it would be very effective, any gutters I have cleaned have been full of wet leaves and muck.

  • jimtnc
    Original Author
    16 years ago

    I can see the usefulness. I could stand down on the ground and move the leaves, muck, etc down each section towards each end (starting in the middle), and then get up on the ladder and clean out the build-up. Beats moving the ladder down the gutter line or walking the roof.

  • tomplum
    16 years ago

    I would think a person could fashion one that also uses water pressure to help with the cleaning process- at least for a 1 story house. The joy of home ownership!

  • masiman
    16 years ago

    I agree with canguy on the usefulness, but I'm not disparaging your choice jimtnc.

    The brush would not be very effective on my gutters due to the 1) the nails holding the gutter getting in the way of the brush 2) the inability of the brush to quickly handle the large volume of leaves I get in my gutters.

    Other potential tools I have seen are hose and blower extensions with a loop at the end to get them into the gutter.

    My current method is to take the backpack blower and start at the top and work my way down. I have to do that about 4-5 times in the fall, I need to do it again. Takes pretty much no time at all and is extremely effective with no followup washout needed. Worst parts are having to get up to the second level and having to walk so close to the edge to blow the gutter out. 1st level does not scare me. Maybe it should :).

  • whizzer75
    16 years ago

    I use a Stihl hand held blower. It is effective enough that I don't have to get close to the edge of the roof. As Massiman said, it takes no time at all. I try to blow out the gutters before rain gets the leaves all soggy. At 78 I may have to give this up soon and try one of the gutter cover systems.
    That brings up another question; anyone tried one of those systems?

  • masiman
    16 years ago

    Good for you still getting around like that whizzer. I also prefer to get them before they get wet but the backpack blower can handle them wet too. I would just rather not have some of the wet gunk onto the house."

    Here is a winter project for you. I would do it but I have a 2 story section that I'd rather do from the roof (famous last words).

  • sawdust_maker
    16 years ago

    The phrase I've heard about the gutter cap systems is "hornet hotels". We used to have the mesh covers for a few years, but they would get clogged with the cottonwood trash (and other stuff) in the spring.

    Now I normally use my leaf blower. I joined a 180 degree (2 inch diameter) pvc elbow to the end of the blower nozzle using a rubber plumbing boot. This way I can take it off in a minute or so. I can blow my gutters clean from the ground this way. I did the same thing for the vacuum nozzle, with 5 inch pvc, so when the leaves are dry I can vacuum them out from the ground.

    I also have a copper pipe with a high pressure nozzle at the end of a 180 degree elbow. I hook that to a hose when I want to wash the gutter out with water from the ground.

    Blasted gutters!

    John

  • sundazes
    16 years ago

    whizzer75 : I am on my second house with one of those gutter cover systems. I have been extremely happy with them. The gutter helmets work. I have never had a problem with hornets or anything else nesting in them. In the winter, you will get icicles hanging from them. They simply don't clog.
    I first got them in my old house due to two very large silver maples. The gutters would clog several times a year from all the junk those trees drop. Had them for about 5 years before we moved into a larger home. The new home is surrounded by huge locus, oak, maple and walnut tress. I got them within weeks of moving in.
    My father in law has the self installed mesh gutter screens. He still has to clear them off a couple of times a year. I haven't been on a ladder to clean gutters in the 8 years I have had them.

  • jimtnc
    Original Author
    16 years ago

    Yep, that's what I'm trying to do...stay off that ladder, if I can. I've seen those stainless steel mesh caps and they look pretty good, but I think they also have a good price attached to them. The mesh is so fine that only water can get through...they say.

  • bas157
    15 years ago

    The Gutterglove Gutterguard looks alot like the system I have on my house, but mine was installed by a dealer. I didn't know of a similiar DYI product at that time, but I needed gutters installed anyway. They definately helped with water in the basement and haven't clogged. Only issue was when there was freezing rain, then they got a nice ice coating on them and rendered the gutters useless until some of the ice melted.
    Back to the OP, I think if you have heavy leaves or lots of 'stuff' in your gutters, you'd need something more than a brush like that. I'd think something more rigid would work better. Maybe 2 things, a rigid one then after the big gunk is out, use a brush?

  • bulldog1_2010
    13 years ago

    I have a very large cottonwood and about 100 oaks and ash in my 1 acre yard, and my eavetroughs are full, I usually clean them by hand while putting up christmas lights, but last year didn't put any up so I had to do it this spring. As I was power washing the siding after the fields were planted across the street I thought about using the power washer to clean the eavetroughs, so up on the roof I went and attacted the eaves. It made a heck of a mess on the lawn but did an excellent job on the eaves. The lawn mower picked up the junk from the eavetroughs.