How to Clean Gutters with Gutter Guards

Keeping your gutters in top shape goes a long way toward preserving your home’s structural integrity. Although gutter guards are a smart investment that reduces the time you spend cleaning your gutters, you still need to be mindful about maintenance and upkeep.

Interested in learning more about how to clean gutters with gutter guards? Explore our tips for how to clean covered gutters and why hiring a professional gutter cleaning service might be a better option.

Why Do I Need Gutter Guards?

Your gutters do more to protect your home than you may realize. By moving rainwater away from your property, gutters prevent water from pooling around your home’s base. When your gutters don’t work as intended, you’re at greater risk for:

• • Foundation issues
• • Soil erosion
• • Pest infestations
• • Basement or crawlspace flooding

More often than not, gutter failure is caused by clogs. Gutter guards or screens help prevent leaves, twigs, and other debris from accumulating in your gutters, which helps prevent clogs from forming in the first place.

Many homeowners think that installing gutter guards mean never having to clean their gutters again. Though it’s true that you won’t have to do it as often, you’ll need to check on them every once in a while.

Here's what you should know about cleaning gutters with gutter guards.

 

How to Clean Covered Gutters

1. Identify the Kind of Gutter Guards You Have

There are a few different varieties of gutter guards, and it’s important to know which one you have to clean effectively. Most gutter guards are mesh or micromesh, which can’t usually be detached from the gutters. Screen guards are also attached to the gutter. Brush guards and foam guards are removable and will need to be taken out to be cleaned.

2. Clean the Guard

The most effective way to clean any kind of gutter guard is to rinse it down with a hose and use a soft-bristled brush to remove any dirt or debris. If your gutter guards can be detached, it’s a good idea to come down from the ladder and clean them on the ground.

While you’re cleaning the guards, make sure to check for any tears or holes. Repairing or replacing your gutter guards is easy for a professional to do, but time is of the essence to keep your gutters free of clogs.

3. Clean the Gutters

Once you’ve cleaned the guards, you’ll also need to clean the gutters themselves. For gutter guards that are removable, you’ll want to clean the gutters before putting the guards back in place.

Because your gutters will have been protected from most debris, you should be able to just rinse them down with a hose or a pressure washer. Of course, if you happen to see any debris in the gutters, clear them out first.

4. Call a Professional

Just because you can clean covered gutters on your own doesn’t mean that you should. Regardless of the type of gutter guard you have, you’ll need to get on a ladder to clean them. Ladder falls cause 500,000 injuries and around 300 deaths each year, and most homeowners don’t have enough experience with ladders to lower the safety risks. At Fish Window Cleaning®, we do. Our technicians do a whole lot more than clean windows! As part of our commitment to your safety, we offer several ladder-based cleaning services, including gutter and awning cleaning. FISH professionals use the same best-in-class technology to clean your gutters and downspouts as we do to leave your windows spotless. No matter which kind of gutter guard you have, we will provide a safe, effective, and thorough cleaning.

Fish Window Cleaning Keeps Homes Looking Great

For over 40 years, Fish Window Cleaning has been helping homes look their best and perform even better! Choosing us is the safest way to keep your gutters in top shape and protect your home from serious water damage.

Our licensed, bonded and insured experts always get the job done right. And with over 300 locations nationwide, it won’t take long to find a FISH crew near you!

Keep your gutters clean and clear. Request your free estimate today.