Clean gutters and downspouts safely
Clogged gutters overflow right next to your foundation. Here is how to clear them the way ladder-safety experts recommend.
Step by step
Clean at least twice a year, and more often if trees overhang the house or after a severe storm.
Set the ladder on firm, level ground using the 4-to-1 rule: for every 4 feet of height to where the ladder rests, set the base 1 foot out from the wall. Use a stabilizer so the ladder bears on the roof, not on the gutter.
Face the ladder, keep three points of contact (two hands and a foot, or two feet and a hand) and keep your body centered between the rails.
Never stand on the top three rungs or above the highest standing level marked on the ladder's label. Climb down and move the ladder instead of reaching.
Scoop debris into a bucket hooked to the ladder, then flush the run with a hose and watch where the water goes.
If water pools in a section instead of running to the downspout, the gutter's slope is off and it may need re-pitching.
Clear a blocked downspout by spraying the hose up from the bottom or down from the top.
Make sure every downspout empties at least 4 to 6 feet away from the foundation using an extension or splash block.
Check that the gutters are firmly attached and that the seams aren't leaking.
Safety first. Keep yourself and the ladder at least 10 feet from overhead power lines. A fiberglass ladder is safer near wires, but no ladder makes contact safe. Work with a spotter on the ground. If you need to step onto the roof, the ladder must extend at least 3 feet above the edge it rests on.