Your gutters can take a lot. They deal with heavy rains, feet of snow, strong winds, and all types of debris coming from all directions.
One thing they cannot take, however, is a pressure washer.
Some homeowners attempt to wash out their clogged gutters with pressure washers, and it is a bad idea. That intense water pressure can crack the gutter material, and dislodge those crucial connecting pieces to the downspouts.
The smart move is to remove that gutter debris by hand, and then wash out the inside with a simple garden hose.
A pressure washer is best reserved for other types of cleaning.
A recent Reader’s Digest article, in January of 2021, addressed this home maintenance point: 13 Things You Shouldn’t Pressure Wash.
You can also subcontract this labor out to a professional. It might be the best move to have your gutters scrubbed by a siding company that cleans gutters.
What else should you not hit with the pressure washer?
- Wood siding – you may push water up and under the exterior surface, and cause mold to grow.
- Electric company meters – getting water into its tiny parts and seams could break the unit, and you’d need to pay the electric company to replace it.
- Asphalt shingles – you’ll tear off the tiny granules that are there for the protection of your roof.
- HVAC units – that outdoor A/C box has delicate parts, which you don’t want to bend or break.
- Lead paint – it needs to be taken away carefully and disposed of, not just blasted and dispersed.
- Old mortar – you could make your walls unstable.
- Your pets – too much pressure! You could really hurt them.