Clogged gutters? Here’s how to clear leaves, debris before rain in Northern California

SACRAMENTO, Calif. — Rain enters the Sacramento region Wednesday and leaves next week ahead of Thanksgiving, prompting some to prepare their homes for the weather.

Chain hardware stores say people should clean their gutters twice per year — once in the spring and another in the fall. Home Depot and Lowe’s offer best practices to clean out gutter leaves and debris ahead of the roughly six-day storm with on-and-off showers.

Home Depot

A home's gutter system controls the flow of rainwater from the rooflines, and if debris builds up in them, it could lead to sagging gutters, mold growth, wet basements, a leaky roof or water damage to the interior or exterior of your home, the hardware store said. 

Gutters filled with debris can make homes for rodents and pests, and neglecting gutter maintenance can lead to expensive repairs down the line. Pine tree needles reportedly need to be cleared out every three months to reduce clogging potential.

How to clean your gutter:

1. When possible, avoid cleaning gutters after a rain. Allowing a few days to dry out the debris.
2. If you are not comfortable on ladders, consider hiring a professional.
3. Start gutter cleaning near the downspout and work toward the closed end.
4. Have two buckets available to make your job easier. Use one bucket for the debris you remove; the second bucket can hold your tools. Hook buckets to the ladder for easy access.
5. Wear safety glasses to keep bits of dried leaves and other debris out of your eyes.
6. Put on the rubber gloves under your work gloves if the debris is damp.
7. Remove and clean the downspout strainer.
8. Clear large debris such as leaves and twigs by hand.
9. Use a trowel or gutter scoop for compacted debris.

How to flush your gutter:

1. After most of the debris is removed, flush the remaining bits and dirt from the gutter with a garden hose.
2. Fit your garden hose with a spray nozzle.
3. Flush out the gutter with water, starting at the far end and moving toward the downspout. Use a strong stream of water and avoid spraying underneath the roof shingles.
4. Specialty gutter cleaning attachments for your garden hose can make the job easier. For maximum power when spraying gutters and downspouts, use a pressure washer.

Checking downspouts

1. After the gutters are clean and the water used for flushing isn’t draining quickly, check the downspout for clogs and any lodged debris.
2. Turn the hose on and spray down the spout. If the amount of water coming out is less than what is going in, there is a blockage.
3. Feed the hose up the downspout from the ground.
4. Turn the hose on at full pressure to try to dislodge the clog. If this does not dislodge the clog, use a plumber’s snake to break up the blockage.
5. If you have a downspout that flows into an underground tiling system, you will need to remove the bottom end to access the longer length of the downspout.

When the downspout is clog-free, flush the gutters once again. Check for proper water flow and drainage and look for any leaks at the seams.

If there is any standing water in the gutter, the gutter is not properly sloped, according to Home Depot. Gutters should slope one-fourth-inch for every 10 feet toward the downspout. If your gutters do not slope properly, detach the hangers to adjust the gutters to the proper slope.

Lowe’s

Lowe’s offers tips for the flush-out method in addition to cleaning out gutters with a leaf blower.

People should use leaf blowers to clean gutters only with the proper accessories that are compatible with their machine.

How to clean gutters with a leaf blower

1. Remove the blower tube from your blower, if necessary, as directed by the instructions.
2. Most kits include an adapter to connect to the blower, extensions that screw together and a U-shaped nozzle to direct the air into the gutters.
3. Fit the adapter to your blower securely. Attach the extensions needed to reach the gutters from the ground. It's a good idea to have enough extensions so you can stand away from the house a bit and keep clear of falling leaves and other material.
4. Attach the U-shaped nozzle. Don’t overtighten the pieces during assembly.
5. Start the blower and move the nozzle along the gutters, angling it to blow away from you. Work in the direction the wind is blowing. You may need to adjust the nozzle to get the best results clearing blockages. Be careful not to damage the shingles or gutters and avoid blowing material up onto the roof.

Wear proper safety gear while working, including eye protection, hearing protection and a respirator or safety mask in some cases. Some may also want a hat or cap to keep material from the gutters off their head.

In addition to the rain, ABC10’s weather impact alert warns of snow in Northern California around 6,000 feet.

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