The DIY Gutter Cleaning Guide: What You Need, How to Do It Safely

Why gutters matter so much in Brooks

Brooks gets significant freeze-thaw cycling through fall and winter. Chinook winds melt snow that then refreezes. Clogged gutters don't drain this meltwater, creating ice dams. The Canada Mortgage and Housing Corporation identifies ice dams as one of the top five causes of residential water damage in prairie climates.

What you'll need

• Sturdy extension ladder (fibreglass preferred near power lines)
• Rubber-grip work gloves and safety glasses
• Plastic gutter scoop or garden trowel
• Bucket with an S-hook to hang from the ladder
• Garden hose with spray nozzle
• A spotter on the ground, never work alone on a ladder

Step-by-step

1. Start at the downspout end and work away from it, pushing debris toward open sections.
2. Scoop debris by hand into your bucket. Don't use a leaf blower, it scatters debris onto siding.
3. Flush with water from the far end toward the downspout. A slow drain means partial blockage; no drain means full blockage.
4. Clear the downspout by inserting the hose and blasting upward. If water backs up, use a plumber's snake.
5. Inspect for damage, sagging sections, separated joints, rust, or holes. Small holes can be patched with gutter sealant.
6. Check the pitch, gutters should slope ~5 mm per metre toward the downspout. Pooling water means the gutter may need re-fastening.

When to call a professional

If your roofline is more than one storey, the pitch is steep, or you're not comfortable on a ladder, hire it out. Our gutter cleaning service handles this twice a year (spring and fall) to keep you ahead of ice dam season.