Gutter cleaning—the quintessential DIY task. It must be pretty easy, right? Just strap on a pair of gloves, put your ladder up against the house, and get your hands dirty. As long as you’re comfortable with heights, then it shouldn’t be too difficult…
Despite what you may think, gutter cleaning is actually one of the most dangerous DIY tasks around your home. At least that’s what the statistics say. When you add to it that cleaning by hand isn’t nearly as effective as cleaning with one of Diamond Clean’s hi-tech vacuums, it’s clear that cleaning by hand isn’t really worth the effort or savings.
Should you really clean those gutters by hand? Let’s put that question to rest.
Gutter Cleaning: A Dangerous Game
If you had to guess which tools caused the most injuries at home, which would you choose? A hammer, a table saw, or a drill perhaps? In reality, the most dangerous DIY implement is actually the ladder.
According to statistics from around the globe, most DIY injuries are the result of falls from a ladder. Let’s look at some stats:
- Close to 100 people are hospitalized per month due to falls in Canada (Ontario Injury Resources Centre)
- Over 1,200 people were hospitalized in Australia due to ladder falls in 2014 (aihw.gov.au)
- 43% of fatal falls last decade in the USA involved a ladder (gov)
So whether you are at work or at home, untrained usage of a ladder is actually much more dangerous than it appears. Most homeowners will stretch the usage of a ladder beyond its intended boundaries, and most don’t use other safety measures such as ladder safety grips. That’s why gutter vacuums are promoted for safe work environments.
You aren’t saving much money
Most homeowners want to save a few bucks and do it themselves or hire a neighbourhood kid to do the work. As much as we support the youth getting to work and earning their money, as the old saying goes, “If you think hiring a professional is expensive, just wait until you hire an amateur”. Unless your neighbour’s son has insurance, you could be liable for injuries—not to mention, if the job isn’t done right, you’ve got to pay to have it done again. Of course, if you enjoy yard work and have some gutter-cleaning experience, then be our guest!
Professional results speak for themselves
Nothing compares to a professional-grade job. Hand cleaning does fine when it comes to bulkier items like leaves and twigs, but no set of hands can compare to the gunk-sucking abilities of a vacuum; for example, over time, soil and other hard-to-clean substances such as granules from your shingles build up in your gutters and can lead to major water drainage issues.
The verdict? Hand cleaning is fine for getting rid of leaves, but hiring a professional to clean your gutters is the safer, more efficient, and far more effective alternative.
Get in touch with our friendly and hardworking gutter-cleaning technicians today!
