Gutter Cleaning Safety Tips

Cleaning your gutters is no fun task and it can also be risky in terms of personal safety. There are some steps you can take to make sure you avoid injury while doing so. Here are some gutter cleaning and safety tips from the gutter cleaning experts at Handyman Connection of Ann Arbor.

Ladder Safety

• Always let someone know you will be using a ladder to work on your building’s roof or gutters.
• Use a safe and sturdy ladder, preferably one with a small shelf strong enough to hold a five-gallon bucket to collect gutter debris, and make sure to secure the bucket with a lanyard.
• A four-legged step ladder is good for a single-story structure, and an extension ladder is ideal for a two-story or taller facility.
• An orchard ladder is not recommended because there are only three legs for support and they can become unbalanced. A wooden ladder is also not recommended because they are often wobbly and difficult to safely balance. Use a fiberglass ladder instead.
• If you are cleaning gutters for hours upon hours, muscle fatigue can set in from moving the heavy ladder numerous times. If this is the case, you should try using an aluminum ladder, which is the second-choice option for strength and support.
• Inspect your ladder for defects, dents or loose parts before climbing.
• If your ladder is fastened together with screws and bolts, make sure all parts are tightened.
• When opening up a step ladder, make sure the extension-hinge arms are fully extended and locked in place.
  

Protect Your Hands

• Gloves can help protect hands against dirty, rotting leaf debris that often contains bird, pigeon and squirrel droppings that are ridden with bacteria.
• Gloves can also prevent painful cuts from the torn metal shards of an old, ragged gutter.
• Cotton gloves can soak up dirty water that exposes skin to bacteria.
• Leather gloves are not as maneuverable and tend to shrivel up when they dry after cleaning.
• Rubber gloves can get poked or torn by metal shards in the gutter.
• Thick, suede glove material is recommended because it is superior to cotton, thin leather or rubber gloves.
  

Protect Your Eyes

• Eye protection is a must because one never knows what might fly out of the downspout when cleaning gutters.
• People have experienced rats, birds, frogs, wasps and bees leaving at high speeds once they start removing a clog, and the last thing they want to have happen is an eye injury.

If this seems like a task you are unwilling to take on, call on the home maintenance pros at Handyman Connection of Ann Arbor. We are the trusted source homeowners call when they need a professional handyman. There’s no need to call around to find what you need when just one call will do it all. Our work is performed by experienced craftsmen who walk you through the process every step of the way for a simple and seamless experience. Our goal is your complete satisfaction. Call us today or click to request a free, no-obligation project estimate!