Maintaining difficult to access guttering.

[johnandrew]

Dear all

RE: How to maintain difficult to access guttering.

As a sort of follow-on to a previous thread
http://www.periodproperty.co.uk/forum/viewtopic.php?t=10649

I have had a visit from an access company that has suggested putting in stainless steel eyebolts into the external walls from which people can dangle for the purpose of high level maintenance, particularly the wooden guttering I want to have installed.

They have suggested inserting eyebolts spaced at approx. 1m intervals along the top of the buidling and further ones spaced at about 1.5m intervals near the bottom for tying ladders to.

I'm worried about the aesthetic effect of all these metal hoops sticking out of the wall.

Does anyone out there have any experience with/comments on this?

John

 

[Pford75]

I think you are right to be considering the impact of these bolts, but I also strongly support the idea of thinking ahead re: the maintenance. If, without the bolts, maintenance will be sufficiently problematic to prevent it happening, then I think that the bolts are probably a necessary evil...unless there is another alternative?

 

[johnandrew]

Thanks, Pford75 - we do indeed need some way to maintain things at the roofline.

We are having scaffolding up at some point this year, but this is not an option on an annual/bi-annual basis. This would be the ideal time to have access aids installed.

We have considered long ladders, but according to the access chap safety ropes at high lever and ladder ties at low level should still be provided.

We have also considered mobile access platforms. There is no room for one at the front without blocking most of the road. At the rear we would have to drive it over our neighbours lawn and through a gap in the hedge/fence - a possibility but not ideal.

For those interested the safety eyes are like this one here.

John

 

[Flyfisher]

I've no experience of such things but my immediate thought is that anchor points are all very well but they probably rule out DIY work unless you happen to be a skilled and qualified mountaineer well versed in dangling from such things. I also imagine they wouldn't be much use for gutter maintenance as I don't see how they could be installed high enough for anyone hanging from them. They would certainly be useful for securing a ladder or scaffold tower though.

I've seen mesh-type semi-tube thingies which are designed to lay in gutters and prevent leaves settling in them. Might be worth consideration, and would be very easy to install when you have scaffolding.

 

[Moo]

To soften the aesthetic impact you could always grow some vigorous decorative climbers up them.

 

[johnandrew]

FF:
At 11m heigh I would be too scared to go up ladders - so not a DIY job for me.
The access guy seemed quite happy that the positioning of the hooks would allow them to reach the gutters.
I have given some thought to gutter guards but can't help thinking that they just add another layer of stuff to worry about - I'd stll want someone up there to check what is going on. I think I'd rather just be able to clean out the gutters on a regular basis.

Moo:
Plants growing over the walls make me nervous.

John

 

[Flyfisher]

I can certainly see your point - I wouldn't fancy climbing an 11m ladder either. That certainly is a significant height.

I'm happy to bow to the experience of your 'access guy' regarding the hook/eyelets and, with 11m guttering, I can understand why you've had such a person in to advise.

As for the gutter guards, I've never envisaged them as an alternative to regular gutter inspection/cleaning, but as something that might reduce the frequency of such works. Even if it means still inspecting and cleaning every other year, that's a 50% saving on an annual 'service', which might save a fair bit of money if you're having to pay a professional 'access guy' to do the work every year.

 

[FamilyWiggs]

At 11m, isn't it a bit academic? You'll need binoculars and a non-cloudy day to be able to see the things anyway!

 

[Feltwell]

I wouldn't bother with gutter guards - I used them on a previous house, they are a perfect medium for growing moss on, which blocks the gutters twice as quickly as if you hadn't bothered with anything at all ! I threw mine away after 6 months.

If the professional access people are happy to go up there using these eyelets then I'd go with that. At 11m up, especially once they've weathered a bit, I doubt you'll notice them.

For restraining ladders, I've considered fitting these to my house, so I can just screw the eyes in to tie the ladder to as and when I need to. I go up about 8- 9m on ladders on my house.

http://www.screwfix.com/prods/31670/Fixings/Construction/M16-Scaffolding-Eye-Kit

 

[johnandrew]

For restraining ladders, I've considered fitting these to my house, so I can just screw the eyes in to tie the ladder to as and when I need to. I go up about 8- 9m on ladders on my house.

http://www.screwfix.com/prods/31670/Fixings/Construction/M16-Scaffolding-Eye-Kit

Thanks, Feltwell. They look just the ticket. Will run the idea past the access chap.

John

 

[Feltwell]

They're fine to tie a ladder to, but I'm not sure if they would be up to actually holding someone's weight on a rope. Still, your access man should be able to judge that.

 

[michael]

I’m quite lucky in that my home is built on the side of a hill so that the guttering is about 10m high at one end and only 6M high at the other. As I am able to access the gutter at the lower end, I’ve put together a kind of Heath Robinson device which reaches along the whole length of the gutter to clean out leaves and debris. This comprises of a set of chimney sweep poles which each screw together. In the first section of pole, I’ve forced in a length of circular cross section timber dowel and screwed into this at right angles a piece of ply which has been cut to suit the profile of the gutter. I simply feed the pole down the length of gutter attaching one piece at a time and flicking the pole over any debris on route. On reaching the end of the gutter, I simply drag the pole back with the improvised scoop collecting the debris in the process.

I realise your situation is different and more problematic but I would still be inclined to try and rig something up to suit the situation i.e. a ten or eleven meter pole with something on the end that hooks over into the gutter and can be dragged along its length scooping the debris on its way. Be sure to push the debris to the opposite end from the down pipe. It may then just require one quick trip up the ladder to reach over and take out a handful of collected debris unless you can design a small shovel attachment for your pole that will do that job as well.

 

[FamilyWiggs]

Michael - wonderful invention. Have you though of putting a small wheel on the other side of your piece of ply? You could then trundle the whole thing down the guttering and then flip it over when it reaches the end and drag it back. It'll save the "flicking over" you describe.

 

[michael]

Wheel attachment. Excellent idea. Consider it done.

Also, If JA can get the debris up to one end of his gutter with an improvised device, I’m sure the local window cleaner would be prepared to climb up, reach over and grab the handful of debris probably charging you no more than a tenner. Its got to be cheaper than a specialist access company

 

[michael]

Thinking a bit more on what the design could be to reach and clear your gutters.
Perhaps:-
1.An 11M pole with a curved hook on the end that turns down into the gutter.
2.Fixed to the end of the hook would be a small child’s roller skate (the old four wheel type with the foot straps) that would run freely along the length of the gutter whilst walking along with the pole.
3.Fixed to the front of the roller skate would be a flat faced ram made out of ply and cut to match the profile of the gutter.
4.A friendly window cleaner to climb the ladder and collect the debris that has been pushed to one end
5.Or a baked bean can cut down to form a scoop also fixed to a hook on a pole so that the gathered debris can be shovelled out from the end of the gutter.

 

[johnandrew]

Thanks Michael, that's an interesting idea!

Would I be able to get a pole that long with the requisite stiffness that wouldn't be too heavy to wield? Aluminium?

 

[MdB]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OEfulldLx_U

 

[FamilyWiggs]

Well, I can't see why you'd want a remote controlled rechargeable robot on tracks with a rotating flapper, when drain rods attached to a piece of ply and a castor wheel will do!

Tsk. Typical American over-engineering! :roll:

Wish I'd thought of it...

 

[michael]

I’ve seen plastic telescopic poles for window cleaning, painting etc up to 6M long. I guess you could somehow join that to a ridged piece of metal tubing to make up the difference. Alternatively, I don’t know if this would do the job?
http://www.skyblueleisure.co.uk/acatalog/10_metre_Telescopic_pole.html

 

[AMc]

11m pole sounds like quite a length of anything - do carbon fibre fishing poles come in that kind of length?

As far as a visual inspection I would look at taping some kind of camera to the end of the pole. A mini CCTV camera with a wireless connection or a very long video lead would allow you to 'see' what you're doing live. Failing that a camera phone or 'flip' digital video camera could allow you take a short film then see if you need to send someone/something up there to do some clearing?

About the eyelet approach - I worked in a medium rise office block which had eyelets inside the opening windows to allow the window cleaners secure themselves and go out . These had inspection date labels and were checked annually. I can't see how you could do that without some other form of access and you may find people unwilling to use them if they're not regularly inspected/tested. It would be worth checking the service life before you commit to them.

Alternatively get in touch with your local radio controlled helicopter club and propose an annual 'clear the guttering challenge' with a cash prize for the most gunk removed