I need to get my gutters cleaned now that the helicopters are all down.

Any recommendations?

I'd say Amy and one of these will do the trick.

I did this myself this weekend on our garage. I did it last fall as well. During the time between, I think a new ecosystem was born. I could not believe what was living and growing in our gutters. As I was pulling out the black muddy muck, I had to fight not to techicolor yawn. With centipedes crawling up both arms and a stench that unbearable, I had one enjoyable morning.

I ordered gutter guards today.

Cancel the order. That stuff will still be there...even with gutter guards.

Never been one invented that works. Especially at keeping dirt and goo out. And most contracts have a three day cancel clause.

You'll thank me later.

Here is a gutter guard that works well!

I stand corrected, sir.

Clamato-

quote:

Never been one invented that works. Especially at keeping dirt and goo out.

Is this true Candidate? Don't they at least keep the big stuff out which clog everything up. I was thinking of getting them as well.

Candidate will be me up...won't you Candidate?

This is from Ask The Builder. Granted, it's a different builder than the builder we know...and I suppose love, but it is a builder nonetheless.

"I have tested no less than 20 different gutter guard products over the past eight years. Each year, I get to look at ones that offer new hope or more of the same. Some of the gutter guards get horribly fouled with the spring-time debris that falls from the trees onto my roof. My pin oak trees create flower blossoms that resemble miniature lace. This mass of organic debris has terrorized each and every gutter guard. When my maple tree is not hit with a spring frost that kills the flower buds, the gutter guards are clogged within days with hundreds of thousands of maple seed helicopters.

Beware of salesmen who tell you all of the organic debris is washed away by rain or blown away by the wind. It is not true. You can test it yourself the next time you visit a home and garden show that has a small gutter guard setup with water cascading down a little roof, across the guard and into a gutter. Tear off a small piece of paper about the size of a postage stamp or your thumbnail and drop it onto the running water. I guarantee that it will be carried into the gutter or it will clog the guard. It will not fall onto the floor of the convention center."

Never been a gutter guard made that will stop the goop that our friend BE is speaking of.

Thanks Mr. Clam. I'm sorry I doubted you. I hope you can forgive me. However, did you watch the video on gutter guards on your link? The type he featured was interesting. I never saw that design before. Not perfect, but easy to remove and clean. But I wonder if they would have to be cleaned just as often as if you didn't have any?

hagen's gutter rescue in naperville (i think) does a good job. they also do power washing (decks,ect)

Sunrise Window Cleaning also cleans gutters.

quote:

Originally posted by Shore Thing:
Clamato-

quote:

Never been one invented that works. Especially at keeping dirt and goo out.

Is this true Candidate? Don't they at least keep the big stuff out which clog everything up. I was thinking of getting them as well.

Shore
The more popular gutter guards will keep out the big stuff but
I have not found a gutter guard that will keep out every type of tree debris. I have had the best luck with just using downspout screens that look kind of like an inverted light bulb. These will keep debris out of your downspouts, which really help if your downspouts go into underground drainage pipes, but the gutters still need to be cleaned out.
I have seen some of the plastic and metal louvered types have ice form on them in bad freeze thaw events causing the ice to form a wedge lifting up the lower edge of the shingle and welcoming all sorts of problems.
I have not seen the newer foam types tested but even those should be removed and cleaned periodically.
I will let you know if I hear anything further.
I would recommend sunrise for window and gutter cleaning though, FWIW.
Happy Trails

Thanks, Candidate. You are a wealth of information. I am very grateful I didn't listen to Clams gut feeling about a developer on the village board.

I hate you. Actually, I readily admitted that I was wrong mid-campaign and declined calls by preservation group(s) to bad mouth a certain candidate. We are comfortable with our relationship...I think.

It takes a big man to admit he was wrong. Hey big man, have a great weekend!

quote:

Originally posted by Clamato:
I hate you. Actually, I readily admitted that I was wrong mid-campaign and declined calls by preservation group(s) to bad mouth a certain candidate. We are comfortable with our relationship...I think.

We're tight brother.
Peace.

In my present and past homes, I've had good success with screens across the tops of the gutters. Both homes had/have overhanging silver maples.

No, they don't keep everything out. Some samaras get stuck in the screens and once or twice a year I needed to get on a ladder and brush them off. But the majority of leaves and detritus blow off. It is a far cry from what I remember from my childhood, pulling bucketsfull of decomposing goop out of the gutters.

As I walk around the neighborhood I am amazed at the number of homes that have substantial green growth in their gutters. Veritable gardens. Wonder if some people never look up as they approach their home.

Gutters cleaners? You folk can afford gutter cleaners? Back in my day, we just put the kids up on the roof and told 'em not to come down till the gutters sparkled clean as a baby's bottom. (Our baby's bottoms were clean, too - we couldn't afford to let them poop). I did it all the time when I was a kid. Sure we got wet, sick and some passed on, but we sang the old war songs and listened to fireside chats while we got the slime and gunk out of those tin traps. We liked it that way. I say let the durn kids today with their fancy eye-pods, drop the fancy coffee drinks and hopped up special water, get up on a roof and clean those gutters out with their hands the way God intended. Gol Durnit.

holy crap, we thought you were dead...where is swamp dog?