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Don't Let a Gutter Get You Down
 Marshal Rosenthal
One of the least loved joys of owning a home is doing maintenance on it. And topping the list is outside maintenance on the home. And at the top of that list is cleaning the gutters.
Gutters get dirty with crud and all kinds of contaminants from the environment over time. Regardless of your locale, there will be some type of contaminant that will get in one of the sets upon the roof. This will impede, if not end altogether, their purpose: to allow the flow of water from on top of the roof back to ground level. Even a well-maintained roof benefits from gutters that work correctly. And if any of them are left unattended for too long, you can bet there will be trouble. Cleaning a gutter is more intimidating that it should be -- it's not hard to do, just time-consuming. Here are a few steps to make your cleaning them out more successful. Just remember to be careful if on the roof or using a ladder, because safety should always be an issue.
Work with a buddy: Placing a ladder against a wall to reach the roof might seem a no-brainer, but having someone to help keep it steady is helpful. As is being able to get a tool or avoid being tangled in a water hose (if using one) since another person can see what is going on. You can use a cell phone to communicate so no shouting is needed.
Power tools are good: There are specific tools that you can get from a hardware store to force the contaminants out. These come in varying prices and specifications -- all attaching to a water hose if not providing their own. You might still have to pull some junk out by hand, but using one of these tools first will take care of a lot of the work for you.
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