[matthelliwell]

Has anyone ever used a wet and dry vacuum cleaner to clean out their
gutters?

I've got a two story houses and the gutters on two sides of the house
forever get blocked with pine needles and oak leaves due to the
surrounding trees (not to mention moss from the roof). Unfortunately
getting a ladder up to clean them out is a pain due to the surrounding
shed, water feature, fencing etc. Also in the Autumn they really need
doing every couple of weeks. So I'm after an easier way to clean them
out which doesn't involve ladders.

There are to be plenty of commercial systems which use a vacuum
cleaner to suck out the rubbish. They would seem to be ideal if they
weren't £600 upwards (eg http://www.cleaningspot.co.uk/acatal...Cleaning.html).
So far as I can tell they are just a vacuum cleaner, a long hose, an
appropriately shaped head and a long pole. Is there any reason why a
normal domestic wet and dry vac wouldn't work? I might have to empty
it out halfway through due to the smaller volume but I can live with
that. I'd just need to find an appropriate hose and head.

Thanks

Matt

[Dave Liquorice[_2_]]

On Fri, 1 Oct 2010 13:01:37 -0700 (PDT), matthelliwell wrote:

Also in the Autumn they really need doing every couple of weeks. So I'm
after an easier way to clean them out which doesn't involve ladders.

Every two weeks? Do they actually block and overflow? I think you'd
be better off working out why they block and overflow. Do they have
the correct fall to the down pipes? Gutters are frequently installed
level or even up hill to the down pipes, this is incorrect. The
correct fall will carry the vast majority of most debris away when it
rains.

--
Cheers
Dave.

[The Natural Philosopher[_2_]]

Dave Liquorice wrote:
On Fri, 1 Oct 2010 13:01:37 -0700 (PDT), matthelliwell wrote:

Also in the Autumn they really need doing every couple of weeks. So I'm
after an easier way to clean them out which doesn't involve ladders.

Every two weeks? Do they actually block and overflow? I think you'd
be better off working out why they block and overflow. Do they have
the correct fall to the down pipes? Gutters are frequently installed
level or even up hill to the down pipes, this is incorrect. The
correct fall will carry the vast majority of most debris away when it
rains.

if you live under trees..its amazing how may leaves come down and ALL
seem to end up in the gutters over a 4 week period.

[GAP]

On 2 Oct, 06:49, The Natural Philosopher wrote:
Dave Liquorice wrote:
On Fri, 1 Oct 2010 13:01:37 -0700 (PDT), matthelliwell wrote:

Also in the Autumn they really need doing every couple of weeks. So I'm
after an easier way to clean them out which doesn't involve ladders.

Every two weeks? Do they actually block and overflow? I think you'd
be better off working out why they block and overflow. Do they have
the correct fall to the down pipes? Gutters are frequently installed
level or even up hill to the down pipes, this is incorrect. The
correct fall will carry the vast majority of most debris away when it
rains.

if you live under trees..its amazing how may leaves come down and ALL
seem to end up in the gutters over a 4 week period.

I'm surprised that no-one has yet suggested you fit your gutters with
that black plastic mesh you can buy in the DIY sheds to stop the
leaves settling in the gutters. The idea is you end up with a convex
curve of mesh above the level of the gutter, any leaves landing on
that will dry up and blow away. And it mostly seems to work in my
experience. Of course that won't stop (all) the pine needles, but as a
previous poster said if you have a reasonable flow then they should
get washed away in the absence of big leaves blocking the gutter.
Whether you'll then end up with blocked drains or soakaway is another
issue of course :-)

Graham (Ecstatic that this house isn't surrounded by trees like the
last one!)

[harry]

On 2 Oct, 09:52, GAP wrote:
On 2 Oct, 06:49, The Natural Philosopher wrote:

Dave Liquorice wrote:
On Fri, 1 Oct 2010 13:01:37 -0700 (PDT), matthelliwell wrote:

Also in the Autumn they really need doing every couple of weeks. So I'm
after an easier way to clean them out which doesn't involve ladders.

Every two weeks? Do they actually block and overflow? I think you'd
be better off working out why they block and overflow. Do they have
the correct fall to the down pipes? Gutters are frequently installed
level or even up hill to the down pipes, this is incorrect. The
correct fall will carry the vast majority of most debris away when it
rains.

if you live under trees..its amazing how may leaves come down and ALL
seem to end up in the gutters over a 4 week period.

I'm surprised that no-one has yet suggested you fit your gutters with
that black plastic mesh you can buy in the DIY sheds to stop the
leaves settling in the gutters. The idea is you end up with a convex
curve of mesh above the level of the gutter, any leaves landing on
that will dry up and blow away. And it mostly seems to work in my
experience. Of course that won't stop (all) the pine needles, but as a
previous poster said if you have a reasonable flow then they should
get washed away in the absence of big leaves blocking the gutter.
Whether you'll then end up with blocked drains or soakaway is another
issue of course :-)

Graham (Ecstatic that this house isn't surrounded by trees like the
last one!)

The black plastic mesh is ok with big leaves but pine needls would
wash straight in. The mesh is a pain anyway, it has to be removed to
clean out gutters blocked with small stuff.

[Chris J Dixon]

harry wrote:

The black plastic mesh is ok with big leaves but pine needls would
wash straight in. The mesh is a pain anyway, it has to be removed to
clean out gutters blocked with small stuff.

At an exhibition I did come across a stall where a guy was
selling open cell plastic foam for this purpose. He assured me it
had a 15 year guarantee. I asked him if he saw himself still
selling the stuff in 15 years' time.

Chris
--
Chris J Dixon Nottingham UK


Have dancing shoes, will ceilidh.

[rbel]

On Sat, 02 Oct 2010 12:45:08 +0200, Chris J Dixon
wrote:

harry wrote:

The black plastic mesh is ok with big leaves but pine needls would
wash straight in. The mesh is a pain anyway, it has to be removed to
clean out gutters blocked with small stuff.

At an exhibition I did come across a stall where a guy was
selling open cell plastic foam for this purpose. He assured me it
had a 15 year guarantee. I asked him if he saw himself still
selling the stuff in 15 years' time.


I am about to install (next week) some hedgehog gutter stuff
http://www.hedgehoggutterbrush.com/ as an experiment in our most
vulnerable gutters. We have oak and beech on one side and pine on the
other so blocked gutters are a common occurrence - they need clearing
three times p.a.. As leaf fall is just starting I will know how effective
it is fairly soon.

--
rbel

[PeterC]

On Sat, 02 Oct 2010 20:57:50 +0200, rbel wrote:

On Sat, 02 Oct 2010 12:45:08 +0200, Chris J Dixon
wrote:

harry wrote:

The black plastic mesh is ok with big leaves but pine needls would
wash straight in. The mesh is a pain anyway, it has to be removed to
clean out gutters blocked with small stuff.

At an exhibition I did come across a stall where a guy was
selling open cell plastic foam for this purpose. He assured me it
had a 15 year guarantee. I asked him if he saw himself still
selling the stuff in 15 years' time.


I am about to install (next week) some hedgehog gutter stuff
http://www.hedgehoggutterbrush.com/ as an experiment in our most
vulnerable gutters. We have oak and beech on one side and pine on the
other so blocked gutters are a common occurrence - they need clearing
three times p.a.. As leaf fall is just starting I will know how effective
it is fairly soon.

It looks good. Please let us know how it does.
--
Peter.
The gods will stay away
whilst religions hold sway

[David123]

matthelliwell wrote:
Has anyone ever used a wet and dry vacuum cleaner to clean out their
gutters?


Yes, that's something I've done for several years. I fashioned a long
tube from some old waste pipe with a suitably sawn-off s-bend at the top
end, and a compression straight-on at the bottom to connect to my vacuum
cleaner. I needed to duct tape some bamboo canes to the outside of the
pipe to make it sufficiently stiff.

It's very effective, although I do get some strange looks from any
passing neighbours. I like to think they're looks of admiration...

-----
David - long-time lurker on uk.d-i-y, but virgin poster

[matthelliwell]

On 3 Oct, 16:32, David123 wrote:
matthelliwell wrote:
Has anyone ever used a wet and dry vacuum cleaner to clean out their
gutters?

Yes, that's something I've done for several years. I fashioned a long
tube from some old waste pipe with a suitably sawn-off s-bend at the top
end, and a compression straight-on at the bottom to connect to my vacuum
cleaner. *I needed to duct tape some bamboo canes to the outside of the
pipe to make it sufficiently stiff.

That's good to hear. I was looking at the gutter hedgehog stuff and
I'd have to buy about 20m of the stuff to cover the worst effected
area so I wouldn't be saving any money over buying a new vac.

Can you explain to be exactly how you connected the waste pipe to the
vacuum cleaner? That's the only part I'm not sure of before I fork out
some money.

Thanks

Matt

[matthelliwell]

On 3 Oct, 16:40, matthelliwell wrote:

Can you explain to be exactly how you connected the waste pipe to the
vacuum cleaner? That's the only part I'm not sure of before I fork out
some money.

Actually I've just found I can get 5m or 9m extension hoses for a
Numatic Charles vac off ebay so with a suitable rigid pole and nozzle
I think that might do the job.

Matt

[Alan Braggins]

In article , David123 wrote:
matthelliwell wrote:
Has anyone ever used a wet and dry vacuum cleaner to clean out their
gutters?


Yes, that's something I've done for several years. I fashioned a long
tube from some old waste pipe with a suitably sawn-off s-bend at the top
end, and a compression straight-on at the bottom to connect to my vacuum
cleaner. I needed to duct tape some bamboo canes to the outside of the
pipe to make it sufficiently stiff.

It's very effective, although I do get some strange looks from any
passing neighbours. I like to think they're looks of admiration...

I'm still trying to imagine how a gutter gets enough leaves in it that
normal rainflow doesn't clear them away, but not so many that a wet and
dry vac gets clogged so quickly that it's useless. But if it works for
you....

[Dave Liquorice[_2_]]

On Sat, 02 Oct 2010 20:57:50 +0200, rbel wrote:

I am about to install (next week) some hedgehog gutter stuff

Hum, so the leaves get stuck into the bristles on the top and
sand/dust etc from the tile and atmospheric fallout get held in the
in the bottom of the gutter...

Even if the leaves to dry out and blow away they will also break up
into smaller bits that drop between the bristles to be held firm. Can
you tell I'm a little sceptical?

--
Cheers
Dave.

[The Medway Handyman[_2_]]

PeterC wrote:
On Sat, 02 Oct 2010 20:57:50 +0200, rbel wrote:

On Sat, 02 Oct 2010 12:45:08 +0200, Chris J Dixon
wrote:

harry wrote:

The black plastic mesh is ok with big leaves but pine needls would
wash straight in. The mesh is a pain anyway, it has to be removed
to clean out gutters blocked with small stuff.

At an exhibition I did come across a stall where a guy was
selling open cell plastic foam for this purpose. He assured me it
had a 15 year guarantee. I asked him if he saw himself still
selling the stuff in 15 years' time.


I am about to install (next week) some hedgehog gutter stuff
http://www.hedgehoggutterbrush.com/ as an experiment in our most
vulnerable gutters. We have oak and beech on one side and pine on
the other so blocked gutters are a common occurrence - they need
clearing three times p.a.. As leaf fall is just starting I will
know how effective it is fairly soon.

It looks good. Please let us know how it does.

I'd be interested as well.


--
Dave - The Medway Handyman
www.medwayhandyman.co.uk