When was the last time you cleaned the gutters on your home? If you can’t remember, then they are probably long overdue for a good cleaning. That being said, if you want to take care of gutter maintenance yourself rather than hire a professional gutter cleaning service, you need to make sure you are adhering to all the health and safety requirements relating to gutter repair.
Whether you are worried about having an accident when cleaning your guttering or you are concerned about encountering hazardous substances, the below blog will tell you everything you need to know about health and safety when cleaning gutters and gutter repair.
What are the main risks when cleaning guttering?
- Working at height
One of the biggest risks when carrying out gutter maintenance is working at height. Therefore, you need to make sure that you know all about ladder safety and how to work safely when above the ground.
Make sure you have someone on hand to hold the ladder for you and try not to clean your gutters in poor working conditions, as this can increase your risk of an accident.
- Damaged guttering
If you have not inspected your guttering for quite some time, then they may have become damaged. For example, they may have started to rust or become cracked. You may also encounter loose fittings that can make cleaning dangerous.
Gutter damage can lead to a whole host of problems, such as leaking, which can cause costly damage to your home.
- Dangerous substances
As mentioned briefly above, dangerous substances can be a problem when carrying out gutter maintenance. Guttering that has not been properly maintained can lead to issues such as a build-up of stagnant water, rotten leaves, and mould, all of which can be hazardous to your health.
- A lack of experience
If you are not experienced in cleaning your type of gutter or any gutter at all, then you are much more likely to experience an issue when carrying out this important household maintenance job. Therefore, it is always recommended to enlist the services of a Roof Gutter Maintenance service that provides qualified professionals with the necessary skills and experience to carry out the job safely and effectively. We always carry out the risk assessments required to ensure optimal safety.
Our top tip for cleaning guttering
- Do not carry out gutter cleaning and maintenance on your own; instead, make sure you have someone to help you.
- Make sure you carry out regular gutter cleaning – it should be at least twice a year.
- Invest in gutter guards or covers that help to prevent debris, such as leaves and twigs, from entering your gutters and causing damage in the long term.
- Use a pressure washer on a low setting to clean your gutters without causing any damage.
- Use a leaf blower as a cost-effective and simple way to clean your guttering.
- Invest in a gutter cleaning kit that includes everything you need to clean your gutters, including a blower and ladder extension.
If you don’t feel confident in carrying this all out, get the professionals to handle this.