Best Cleaning Gutters Before Painting Exterior

Well, it's that time of year, painting exteriors, also cleaning gutters. You'd be best served dredging and cleaning gutters before painting for several reasons listed below. Giving you some tips making this as easy as possible.

Because let's face it, gutter cleaning is not on everyone's high priority list to do. Matter of fact, cleaning gunk out of gutters is one thing every homeowner wishes they didn't have to do. As well as, many refuse doing no matter what.

Having our minds in the gutter, will be walking you through reasons, also processes having your gutters cleaned out, before painting outside.

What's Needed Cleaning Gutters

• Good Large Trash Bags
• Plastic Sheathing or Canvas Drop Cloths
• Waterproof Work Gloves
• Time

Reasons Why Cleaning Gutters Before Painting Makes Sense

Muck On New Paint

Knowing how painting exteriors include pressure washing first, possibly getting fresh old muck on new exterior paint job is counter productive when gutters need to be cleaned first.

If this happens, putting any additional water having to clean your exterior because garb coming out of gutters on new paint can be averted. So cleaning gutters first, before painting makes perfect sense.

Know When It Was Done Last

Not everyday you paint have your exterior painted, probably not cleaning gutters either. So having gutters cleaned before painting, you'll know when it was done last, before painting. This coincides with those only clean gutters, when doing major home improvements. However, cleaning gutters is not an improvement, but maintenance task.

Get Good Observation How Well They Drain

Cleaning gutters, using massive water amounts, you'll get a good idea how well they drain. Rinsing out debris, roofing materials, pine needles, leafs, golf balls, you can easily see how well water drains out.

Afterwards, I suggest standing outside with an umbrella during a downpour. Many neighbors may think your nuts, but this is a good time checking gutters, making sure they are draining properly, not leaking.

Gutters Rusts Out

Not cleaning gutters regularly, can rust out, as most gutters do. Most of them being galvanized metal types. Keeping most metals wet, over many long periods will eventually leak, rusting out. Cleaning gutters before painting process can notify you, if you need them repaired or replaced.

If Replacing Gutters, Fascia Can Be Primed & Painted

Most homes built, gutters are installed before painting gutters. Therefore fascias are not painted behind gutters. When replacing gutters, after removing them, makes a great time priming, also painting fascia before gutters go back up.

Best choosing fascia trim color first. If choosing a factory powder coated painted gutter, you can easily match paint to gutters, but not the other way around. Paint colors are infinite, gutter color choices limited.

Gutter Cleaning Tips

Scrape Out Gutters

Using hand, reaching in gutter, scraping out bulk of debris works best. However knowing how nasty this stagnate bunch of muck can be, best using rubber gloves. If not, your hands could stink for weeks. This part of gutter cleaning is bottom on my scale, as most dreaded part.

Reaching in, pulling out plugs, scraping sediment out from gutters, leaf & pine needle buildup can be quite thick. Sliding your hand down length of gutter, scraping towards downspout. Pulling it out as much as you can, dropping below, for later pickup.

Using Garden Hose

After scraping most sediment, using a garden hose with a forceful tip, starting at end where there is no downspout, rinsing gutter clean, moving everything towards downspout.

This will also let you know downspouts draining properly.

Use Hook Shaped Spray Nozzle

Several hook-shaped spray wands made to screw on end of garden hose. This allows you rinsing out gutters, not having to reach all the way up at roof height. If U shaped spray nozzle is long enough, you may not even need a ladder!

Power Washer / Pressure Washer

Would not go out and buy a pressure washer just to occasionally clean gutter drain system. However, having one at your disposal, power washers clean gutters very fast. Always use eye protection, as using this high pressure water jet spray, throws out debris from gutters quite a distance.

Preparing your home for painting, cleaning gutters first using a power washer or pressure washer makes perfect sense. Many times a painting contractor's team of painters will clean these out for an additional price, while cleaning exterior walls.

Even if you are replacing gutters, before painting, cleaning them out, before removing is a great idea too! Many painting companies offer this extra service, but you'd just have to ask, as this added indirect service is not universal across all painting companies.

Painting Contractor's Team of Denver Painters

If in the Denver Front Range Area, needing exterior painting, Eco Paint's team of Denver painters can help cleaning gutters while cleaning exterior, saving your time, preparing your home for painting.

Having read this, you can now get your mind out of the gutter. Hopefully giving you insight cleaning gutters before painting outside. If so, please like, share, ping, and/or comment below.