Joe Adamowicz, using a vacuum cleaner of his own design to clean the gutters of a Brighton home last week, recommends using a digital camera on a pole to check the condition of the gutter.

Will Yurman staff photographer

Cleaning the gutters safely

Sean Dobbin, Staff writer
(November 3, 2007) — As you're raking up the leaves that have fallen in your yard, make sure you don't neglect the ones that fall on your roof, which can clog gutters and cause serious property damage.
For homeowners who live in an area with a lot of deciduous trees, Joe Adamowicz, owner of J.G. Cleaners in Walworth, recommends gutter cleaning twice a year. If gutters become clogged, the leaves and other waste can cause water leakage or could become a fire hazard.
"Usually you get some roof tile and grit, and then the helicopter (maple keys)," said Adamowicz. "So if you don't clean it, you actually get trees growing. I pull up to some houses and there's actually plants growing out of there."
Adamowicz said that most homeowners should have their gutters cleaned professionally. But he offers a few tips, should you decide to try it yourself.
"Pick a calm day and a dry day so you don't slip," said Adamowicz. "Make sure you have a nice, sturdy ladder, and make sure somebody is there with you."
Andrew Holt of Brighton cleans his own gutters twice a year, partly to save money, but also because he likes the work.
"I've always enjoyed climbing ladders, and it's a nice view from up there," said Holt. "I'll do it until my wife says I can't climb up there any more."
Holt said to make sure your gutters are firmly attached to the roof, so if you momentarily lose your balance, the gutter won't give way. Like Adamowicz, he also emphasized the presence of another person who can call for help if an accident occurs.
Between 1990 and 2005, more than 2 million people were treated in emergency rooms for ladder-related injuries, according to a study published in the American Journal of Preventive Medicine.
And on Oct. 20, in a story that made national headlines, Max McGee, the wide receiver who scored the first touchdown in Super Bowl history for the Green Bay Packers, fell to his death while removing leaves from the roof of his Minnesota home.
With the perils that come with working on your roof, it is important to avoid danger whenever possible. When checking to see if your gutters need cleaning, Adamowicz said that you don't necessarily have to climb up on the roof.
"You can do it via ladder, but I recommend using a digital camera at the end of a pole," said Adamowicz. "Run it up there to take a quick look and bring it back down."
Adamowicz also recommends the use of heavy work gloves and a safety harness, and said to keep a bucket nearby to dump the waste in. If you don't have a gardening trowel for scooping out the gutters, a spatula or ladle works well enough.
If you do end up cleaning them yourself, Nick Reynolds of Monroe Hardware in Rochester recommends working right from the ladder itself instead of on top of the roof, which forces you to reach below your center of gravity.
"I'm much more comfortable on a ladder," said Reynolds. "Make sure it's stable, and don't try and reach too far.
After you're done clearing out the leaves and muck, use a garden hose to flush out the last of the debris. This will also show you how well your gutters are draining and will reveal any small leaks that may have otherwise gone unseen.
If you've got small holes, rubber caulk works well enough. For larger holes, Reynolds recommends the use of sheet metal and roofing cement.
But regardless of whether you're cleaning out the gutter or fixing a leak in the downspout, keep it simple and keep it safe.
"Don't be stupid," said Reynolds. "Have somebody spotting."

reproduced with permission from The Rochester Democrat and Chronicle
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