How to Clean Gutters During a Rain Storm

During a rainstorm is the best time to clean gutters on your house and garage. Although you should avoid climbing ladders and waving  tools around when there is any lightning or thunder, a strong summer shower can help you clean the gutters in less time than it usually takes.

When you notice your gutters overflowing during a rain storm, it is time to put on a raincoat or clothing you don’t mind getting wet, grab your gutter cleaning tool and head outside. This gutter cleaning tool can be made very simply with any type of broom handle or pole and a hooked garden implements such as a hoe. If you are tall enough, a hoe could probably do the work on its own. Of course, you can also use a ladder and a handheld tool, such as a hooked weeder that is usually used in sidewalk cracks or along curbs.

The water rushing through the gutters during the rainstorm can help wash away all the accumulated debris, such as leaves, seed pods and other materials that have plugged it up previously. You are there with your special tool to keep things flowing.

It is best to begin at the end where the downspout is. Stick the hooked part of your tool up in the gutter wiggle it around to try to dislodge anything that is stuffing up the pipe on the end. The pressure of the water from the rainstorm will help push the debris through and down the pipe as it should be. If simply clearing the downspout end of the pipe is not enough to get things moving, you may have to start further back with your tool and run it along and through your gutters to remove more materials.

The best way to maintain your gutters so they do not clog up again is to either spend thousands of dollars to get gutter guards installed so leaves cannot flow into them, or run outside every time there is a strong rain and run to your hooked tool through the gutters to make the debris run down. It’s easy, practically free and a lot of fun to play in the rain.