Fall isn’t the best time for gutters. Leaves, twigs and debris clog gutters which can cause water to flow back up under the shingles. In winter, snow melt can’t safely run off the roof and water pools only to ice overnight. As the ice expands, it pushes up under the shingles and causes leaks. Cleaning gutters can help to alleviate ice dams and leaks.
Always use step ladders safely. It’s safer if you have someone to hold the ladder for you.
Before you start, spread a tarp under you gutters so you can throw all your gutter gunk right onto it for easy cleanup.
Snip the edges of an old plastic spatula and use it to scrape debris out of the bottom of your gutters. If you have a plumber’s snake, you can use it to clear leaves from downspouts.
When you’ve scraped all the debris out of the gutters and picked up the tarp, use a hose to clean out any residual muck.