Applying a Handyman’s Wisdom To Gutter Cleaning

The hallmark of a craftsman is that he is willing to always be a student. In this post, I share some things I learned from a recent video Eric Wheat posted to YouTube about gutter cleaning.

Who Is Eric Wheat?

Eric Wheat is a handyman with decades of experience. That experience is shared on his popular YouTube channel. The thing I appreciate most about Wheat is his down-to-earth style – it feels like a friend passing on some advice.

I applied the tips he gave in a YouTube video, on several recent jobs for gutter cleaning near Colorado Springs and a gutter cleaning service in Black Forest. The first suggestion keeps you safer.

Better Gutter Cleaning Starts With Safety

The first tool Eric recommends is using a ladder stabilizer. I couldn’t agree more. A stabilizer, like the Werner quick connect that I use with COS Exterior Services, makes a world of difference in several ways. It helps to avoid damage to customer’s gutters and reduces the possibility of a ladder slipping.

Simple Things Make This Important Job Easier

Besides using a ladder stabilizer, Eric gives two other very practical suggestions. The first one is to use a pail clip while cleaning. A challenge when you clean gutters is that the bucket you use doesn’t stay put on the roof. Usually, the pitch of the roof or the conditions of the shingles mean that the bucket will slide around. Eric’s idea for a clip solves this problem.

During a recent gutter cleaning in Colorado Springs, I used this pail clip suggestion. It really helped speed up the gutter cleaning process by freeing both of my hands. Pro tip– Don’t overfill your bucket. Since that bucket is on one side of the ladder, overfilling it can cause your ladder to list.

Wheat also has a good idea to address another common challenge with gutter cleaning. Mucky standing water and soggy debris are common in gutters. This was true when I cleaned gutters for a client in Black Forest a few weeks ago. I applied Eric’s final tip to use long dishwasher-style gloves. The gloves really helped as there were several inches of nasty water in one long section of the gutter.

While the gloves helped, there was one downside I found. The gloves tore easily. Pro Tip – Keep several types of gloves with you while gutter cleaning. You can use different gloves based on what you find in different sections of gutters. For that cleaning in Black Forest, some sections only had dirt and pine needles. Nitrile gloves worked fine on those parts. But the part of the gutter with standing water and muddy made me glad I had watched Eric’s video and had a special pair of dishwasher-style gloves.

How Eric Wheat’s Tips Will Help You

Eric’s tips will help your next gutter cleaning job to be safer, cleaner, and easier. My sharing of his advice here at our learning center doesn’t imply an endorsement, sponsorship, or even a recommendation of our company by him. I would endorse and highly recommend that you sponsor the time to check out his YouTube channel – https://www.youtube.com/@ericwheat6005.

Gutter Cleaning Near Colorado Springs, Black Forest, or Monument

If you’re looking for a gutter cleaning service near Black Forest, Colorado Springs, or Monument, I believe that COS Exterior Services is the best company. If you hire us, we’ll certainly have a ladder stabilizer and bucket pail on the job and might even put on those dishwasher-style gloves if the debris in your gutters warrants it.

You can browse our gutter cleaning reviews here or give us a call at 719.401.5576.