Cleaning Gutters with Leaf Blower - Safe?

[gary]

How about one of these for a shopvac? I wonder if you could use a longer piece of PVC pipe to reach the 2nd floor.

[buckeye95]

Gary - thanks for the suggestion, but as noted by Slik Geek, I have the issue with some areas getting matted with leaves to the point that additional work may be required (manually clean them out or some more focussed "attention" from the blower). If I used that tool, I think it would not only be a little awkward to use with a 20+ foor extension on it, but would still require a roof visit anyway to verify there were no stubborn areas that had not been fully cleaned.

Pete

[Shep]

Just cut the trees down. Problem solved.

[tommyt654]

This is from ladder usage and being 55 this yr and having cleaned hundreds of gutters using a echo pb403 Backpack blower my suggestion is have **** good homeowners ins. and hire somone else to do it

[buckeye95]

Tommy,

Sorry to hear about that. It was consequences like that which pushed me to consider the blower option. I figured that method would be safer then the "kneel and dig" I have been doing. I guess there are no 100% safe methods to do anything once you are on a roof.

Pete

[Slik Geek]

If you do it with the blower on the roof, be sure to wear eye protection.

If you do it from down below, be sure to wear goggles that "seal" around your eyes or you'll probably get something nasty in your eyes. (And keep your mouth shut! Or wear a mask).

[Thalermade]

Okay, so my air pressure system didn't fly.

How about installing an auger system in the gutters? You would probably have to set it on a perforated base so water could drain through normally . One end of each gutter could be a rubber "curtain" so the end of the auger could push crap out of the gutter and onto the ground.

Okay, twelve years ago we moved into a new house with no trees. We now have one tree taller than the house, so I am reasonably sure that I will shortly regret my light hearted replies to this topic......

And by the way, I am only the idea guy, I am not the engineer or proto-typer.

I will leaf this topic alone now, since it all seems to ending up in the gutter anyway..
Russ

[pelligrini]

My house has a fairly low pitch, but I still don't like reaching over the edge. I use a length of broom handle, or a fallen branch while I'm up on the roof.