Keeping leaves out of guttering ......

I have leaves in my gutters. My DH used to do them when he was alive they haven’t been done for years I was wondering how much it would cost as I think I may need scaffolding because I have a porch that may get in the way. Or do they have special poles that would reach the gutters despite the porch being there.

Never mind the leaves !
Does anyone know how to keep magpies and red kites out of gutters, especially early in the morning when I can hear the pitter patter while still in bed!!

kircubbin2000

You can't stop the leaves. I wait till they have fallen then get a man to clean them. I never understand how much soil comes out. The drains are full of soil too. Where does it come from? He recommended pouring a large bucket of water into the drain.

We found soil too. When we first moved into our last house one of the drainpipes went straight into the ground and we took it apart as it was overflowing at the top. The pipe was literally full of soil to a height of about six feet, there was no way that water could escape. We put a proper drain in to solve the problem.
It was an old house and there was a stone gulley about two feet deep around the top floor, lined with lead. We used to have to get somebody to walk round inside the gulley to clean the leaves out in autumn. Similarly if the gulley filled with snow so that the outlet iced up the water couldn't get away. Our neighbours told us that servants in the old days used to have to sweep the snow off the roof to stop this happening.

We had a large walnut tree that used to cover the drive but not many in gutters, I just raked them up when the last had fallen. However the tree had begun to overhang the house so I took it down, much to the distress of the local squirrels.

HiPpyChick57

I have leaves in my gutters. My DH used to do them when he was alive they haven’t been done for years I was wondering how much it would cost as I think I may need scaffolding because I have a porch that may get in the way. Or do they have special poles that would reach the gutters despite the porch being there.

Do a search somewhere like TrustaTrader for gutter clearing/cleaning and then look at each of the traders that come up. Their websites will explain how they work and what equipment they have. Just take all the wonderful references with a pinch of salt. Or even do a google search for gutter cleaning in your area.

We have the same problem as you and a 'man and a ladder' doesn't hack it.

We recently had a man with a van come round and do our gutters. When I booked, the firm asked if we had hedgehogs in the gutters (it would have cost more if we did).
He came round with a ladder to do the lower gutters and a thing on a stick to do the upper ones.
He filmed them before and after so we could see what he had done, then sluiced water along and down the downspouts.
There was soil and a lot of moss, but not many leaves. Either our trees are too short or the leaves are too lazy to fly up there.

AreWeThereYet.
Thank you for the info. I’ll do some research as you suggested.
Don’t worry I’m usually a bit sceptical about reviews but thanks anyway for the warning.
The only “Man with a ladder.” I’ll let loose on my place is my DB because the porch guttering is low enough as is the extension gutter.
It's only the roof ones out front that may need scaffolding as the ones out the back can be accessed via the extension roof. 💐

Have only had gutters cleaned once in 58 years and that was last year. I had my roof cleared of moss and some had landed in the guttering blocking the flow of water and silt down the drainpipes. My window elaner who uses brushes on hoses cleaned the guttering for me. Filmed before and after. Charged £70 for two storey. I live surrounded by mixed woodland and have done for 48 years, and only had gutters cleared once in all that time. At this time of year I am constantly sweeping up ash and sycamore leaves and seeds having to rake them off the grass before I can cut it. What annoys me are magpies, pigeons and crows having a bath in the gutters splashing dirty water about.

I’ve been away for a few weeks and, on my return, there are pine needles everywhere. Which means that my gutters, that were not cleaned all that long ago, are probably full of them, too. Thankfully the largest sycamore tree that overhang my garden was removed a few years ago but I still get them growing everywhere and the seeds are poisonous to dogs. Then, to add insult to injury, the pigeons roost in the trees and poo everywhere.

sharon103

nanna8

My husband is totally obsessed with clearing our gutters. I won’t let him climb ladders these days, too dangerous, so he has a long pole , bent at the top, with a brush attached ( homemade) and walks round the edge of the house. He also has a fan with a small electric motor that he got at the local hardware shop when he asked for a gutter cleaner. It’s on a long pole,too. We have a 2 storey house with a decking across the top at the back so he walks along from one end to the other .

That's a good idea nanna8.
I live in a semi detached 2 storey.
Can you tell me where your husband got the long pole from and how he attached the brush. thanks.

The long pole was from a telescopic pole used for getting cobwebs high up. He tied the brush on himself with twine - bought the brush in a hardware store. Had to be a bent one. Perused those on offer until he found one the right size and shape. We have Bunnings here, they gave him advice about the electric one. I think you have large hardware/ garden centres ?

Beware the Trusted Trader type sites. I once put a request on one of these ans, before anyone contacted me, a friend offered to do the job. When someone rang me in response to the online request I explained what had happened. They were furious ... it seems that the site charges them for the clients phone number!

Having swept up the pine needles I now have tiny brown flakes cascading down into the garden. This happens every year but it’s worse than ever this time. They get trodden in and get everywhere. I’ve no idea which tree they come off. Can’t even sweep them up properly as they stick to everything. Someone asked if I had a beech tree nearby but I don’t think I do. It’s mainly pine, sycamore and ivy.

We paid a lot of money for someone to clean out the gutters a few years ago but then found our window cleaner will do this, using a brush on a long pole.
He charged much less and seemed to do a thorough job.

This is what they look like; I’ve got to vacuum round again. They get everywhere.

MayBee70

This is what they look like; I’ve got to vacuum round again. They get everywhere.

Birch seeds?

You’ve nailed it. Thanks! Annoyingly I’ve just googled it and they don’t shed them for a short time but most of the time. Although I only really see them in the autumn. It also said they get into your car engine and clog up the pollen filter. The pollen is bad for causing allergies too. And I thought the pine and sycamores were bad enough! I’ve even got a Yew that has started to grow in my front garden which I have to dig up as the berries are deadly poisonous to dogs. It was tiny till recently but seems to have tripled in size in the space of just a few weeks. On top of that I have moss growing everywhere, much worse than in previous years. I’m concerned for my neighbour who is now very frail and her drive is covered in slippy moss. I’m going to have to totally declutter my garden as well as my house so it’s easier to sweep them up. I can’t even try to get the birch removed as I’m in a conservation area.My poor dog is bringing them in on her paws.

I was going to say a money tree but thought you might not laugh !

We usually get beech nuts littered everywhere but there haven't been so many this year.

If the seeds get into the gutters along with leaves which will compost, they could grow into trees. We suddenly realised we had a couple of beech and sycamore trees sprouting in the gutter, now cleared.

I can’t even try to get the birch removed as I’m in a conservation area
We were but surprisingly they changed the boundary. However, most of the trees still have preservation orders.

I’ve just looked that up. It says they’re very good to keep in the house. Maybe I need to get one to protect me from the allergens from the birch! I thought being surrounded by trees was supposed to be good for your health! At least the waspinator seems to have stopped the wasps from nesting in the walls of my house

It’s pine needles and sycamore leaves/seeds that bother me in the back garden - neither are my trees. The seeds root in the lawn, but also in the gutters and grow into clumps of seedlings. I can manage to remove those from the conservatory and I had all my gutters replaced earlier this year, so no clearing problems with those, yet. At the front, it’s my NDN’s ornamental cherry tree leaves shedding everywhere. It’s a daily job to clear those.

Even tough I’m taking off my shoes as soon as I get in the house ( front and back) theyr’re still getting everywhere. Having to vacuum constantly. I’ve ordered lots of mats as they’re worse on the tiled floors. My dog gets foot infections and I’m worried that they will make her feet worse. There’s no way I can get the tree removed. It’s behind my neighbours fence on farmland and surrounded by other trees. I’m going to ask her neighbour to see if they’re bothering other people as much as me.