Gutter vacuums are actually not as gimmicky as I first thought. I picked up one of those long-reach kits last fall when my back just wasn’t up for the ladder routine anymore. It’s not perfect—sometimes you’ll need to go up to deal with stuck debris—but for regular maintenance, it does a decent job and keeps you off the roof. The suction’s good enough for leaves and light stuff, but bigger clumps or wet messes can be tricky. Still, beats hauling out the extension ladder every couple months. Just make sure your shop vac has enough power or you’ll end up frustrated.
I see a lot of people go for those vac kits now, especially if you’re not keen on ladders. I’ve seen mixed results though—sometimes folks forget about the downspouts getting clogged with heavier stuff. Have you run into any issues with blockages lower down, or does the vac handle that too?
sometimes folks forget about the downspouts getting clogged with heavier stuff. Have you run into any issues with blockages lower down, or does the vac handle that too?
Honestly, I’ve seen more than a few folks get a little too excited about those vac kits and forget the “out of sight, out of mind” rule with downspouts. The vacs are decent for the loose leaves and lighter debris up top, but if you’ve got a nice, soggy wad of last year’s maple leaves jammed halfway down the pipe, it’s not always a slam dunk. I had one client who thought he was all set—ran the vac, gutters looked spotless from above, but water was still pouring over the side during the next rain. Turns out, the downspout was packed tighter than a Thanksgiving turkey. Had to snake it out the old-fashioned way.
I guess if you’re in an area with a ton of pine needles or those little helicopter seeds, you might get away with just the vac. For heavy stuff, though, I’d still check the bottom. Anyone else ever find a tennis ball down there? I swear, gutters are like lost-and-found boxes sometimes...
Had to snake it out the old-fashioned way.
Yeah, that’s pretty much been my experience too. The vac is handy for surface stuff, but if you’ve got a wad of wet leaves or even a bird’s nest wedged down there, nothing beats just taking the elbow off and clearing it by hand. I’ve actually found a Hot Wheels car in one downspout—no idea how it got there. I’d say, if water’s not draining, check the bottom before assuming the top’s the issue. Sometimes it’s just a stubborn clog halfway down.
I get where you’re coming from, but I’ve actually had the opposite luck a few times. Those elbows can be a pain to take off, especially on older houses where everything’s rusted tight. I started using a plumber’s auger for the stubborn stuff—just feed it down from the top and twist. Pulled out a squirrel’s stash of acorns once... didn’t even have to mess with the joints. Guess it depends on the setup, but sometimes I’d rather wrestle with a tool than those old screws.
