Gutter cleaning is probably one of the most unattractive and unappealing home maintenance chores there is. It’s often dirty, requires a lot of ladder moving, you’ll most likely get wet from flushing the gutters and it’s not something that you can show off to your neighbours once it’s finished like a beautifully mowed lawn. Not exactly the most ideal way to spend a Sunday afternoon, is it?

However, if you avoid cleaning your gutters, you’re potentially inviting a lot of trouble to your home. If your gutters become too full, water can begin to damage the roofing and fascia as well as your home as water starts to flow out over your gutters and onto your main foundation rather than down the drain spout.

While cleaning your gutters may seem a simple task, there are a number of things that you can do to keep your gutters sparkling and therefore protect your home for years to come. But before we tell you how to clean gutters, it’s important you know exactly when to clean your gutters and what equipment is needed to do it safely.

When to clean your gutters

You should clean your gutters twice a year, once in the spring and once in the autumn. However, if you live in a neighbourhood that has a lot of trees, you’ll more than likely have to do it more than twice a year. Be sure to keep an eye out on your gutters, particularly after bad weather or severe wind and rain. Even if it’s to clear up a clog in the downspout.

It’s a far more pleasant and easy job to clean your gutters when they are dry. Otherwise, you’ll need to prepare yourself for mucky by-products that you’ll have to dispose of. A quick tip is to check your gutter before a storm is forecasted. The last thing you want to do is to be sat in your home looking out of the window watching water pour out from over your gutters into your garden and foundations and thinking you could have prevented it with a quick sweep of the spots near the downspouts.

How to clean your gutters

Clean gutters from the ground up

Another important thing to know when cleaning your gutter is where to do it from. Never clean them from your roof. You’d be turning a simple chore into a dangerous hazard. Therefore, it is recommended to clean your gutters from the ground using an appropriate gutter cleaning ladder. When doing so, it is important to follow best practices for ladder safety, because if you don’t things can go south pretty quickly.

Perhaps the most important thing to remember whilst cleaning out gutters is to not reach out further than is safe to do. It’s easy to think that you can lean out as far as your body will take you as it means you will have to move the ladder less but be wary and always keep your waist between the rails. Since you’re going to be moving a ladder a lot, on potentially uneven lawns and ground, ensure you have a stable and even footing to make the job safer. Having someone else there spotting the ladder while you work is a common solution or using ladder accessories such as a ladder stay is also a great option.

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For collecting the debris from the gutter, you can layout a tarp underneath your gutters and just move it along whenever you climb down and move your gutter cleaning ladder. If using an A-frame ladder, you can easily attach a bucket with a handle to one of the built-in hooks found near the top.

De-gunking your gutter

To remove the debris from your gutter, follow these simple steps:

1. Use a small garden trowel or get a good pair of garden gloves and scoop out the leaves and sediment, starting at the downspout. Hands are often the better tool for this job as you have increased levels of manoeuvrability allowing you to get downspout clogs loose with far less effort.
   
   
2. Once you have cleaned as much as you safely can in one spot, move your gutter cleaning ladder down the gutter and continue to the next until you’ve got all that you can with your hands.
   
   
3. Next, at the opposite end of the downspout, use a hose to flush the finer bits of debris. Let it run for a minute to ensure that water is coming cleanly through the spout.
   
   
4. If the water is only trickling through, then you know that you still have a clog. To clear it, run the hose at a higher pressure right into the downspout.

If like many homeowners, you would rather avoid cleaning gutters yourself, there are a number of options that you can choose. The first is to hire a professional to do the job for you. This obviously comes at a price but will allow you to sit back and relax or get on with more important tasks while someone else does the dirty work. If you don’t mind cleaning the gutter but would like to do it a little less often, there are several products that you can install into your gutter that help to alleviate the build-up of debris, such as gutter whiskers, mesh guards and snap-in plastic covers.

Best ladders for cleaning gutters

We recommend the following ladders:

• Professional Double Extension Ladder
• Domestic Double Extension Ladder
• Hymer Platform Step Ladder with Handrail

Ultimately, whichever ladder you choose, you will still need to gain access to your gutter to install them. Doing this in the safest and most efficient way possible is paramount. Here at Ladders UK Direct, we supply a range of quality gutter cleaning ladders to ensure you can clean your gutters without a worry in the world, and with such an extensive collection, we are guaranteed to have a ladder-type to suit you. We recommend taking a look at our collection of extension ladders, which are simple to use and allow you to reach high places safely.

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For more information on how to clean gutters or if you'd like help deciding which are the best ladders for cleaning gutters, do not hesitate to get in touch with the Ladders UK Direct team.

Whether you need to change a lightbulb or re-tile the roof of your home, choosing a ladder that suits the height and nature of the task is paramount for your safety. With so many ladders on offer, it can be hard to know which type of ladder you should choose.

Our concise ladder buying guide will take you through the different kinds of ladders to show you how to choose between ladders, step ladders, scaffold towers or work platforms. Buy a ladder with Ladders UK Direct today!

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According to the Health and Safety Executive, roughly 40% of all on-the-job fatalities occur as a result of a fall from height.

This is particularly problematic in construction, with half of all fall-from-height deaths over the last five years occurring in the construction trade.

Meanwhile, just under 20% of all non-fatal injuries in the construction trade over the last five years were also a result of falling from height. Scary stuff!

Needless to say, knowing how to use a ladder safely is of vital importance and can quite literally save your life. Luckily, we've got some ladder safety tips that will help you do exactly that!

How to Use a Ladder Safely

Whether you're a professional roofer or an average Joe putting up the Christmas lights, you are putting yourself at risk when you climb up a ladder.

After all, gravity doesn't discriminate and the same dangers apply to all - so pros and amateurs alike should follow these ladder safety tips.

Use the right ladder

Before you begin work, always make sure that the ladder you are using is suitable for the task at hand.

To gauge whether or not your ladder is tall enough for your chosen endeavour, you should be able to safely access the area you need without standing on the top three rungs.

The ladder itself should extend at least one metre above where you are working to allow you ample hand and foot contact with the ladder at all times.

Check the stiles

The vertical parts of a ladder (i.e. the long parts on either side of the rungs) are known in the UK as stiles.

Before using a ladder, it's vitally important to inspect the stiles. Make sure they're in good condition with no splits, dents, or bends.

Even a small amount of damage to the stiles can seriously impact the structural integrity of the ladder, and may even cause the ladder to break mid-use.

Check the rungs

Much like the stiles, sturdy rungs are paramount when it comes to ensuring your ladder is fit for purpose.

If any of the rungs are bent, loose or missing entirely, take that as a tell-tale warning sign that your ladder is no longer usable.

Using a ladder that features dodgy or absent rungs will increase the likelihood of the ladder failing and could result in things going south fast.

Check the feet

A ladder's feet are found at the bottom of the stiles, typically adorned with rubber bases that feature a ridged pattern on the bottom of the caps.

If the feet are worn, damaged or missing entirely, this can lead to the underside of the ladder becoming slippery and losing its traction.

If this occurs while you are on the ladder, it could lead to disaster. As such, you should postpone use until the feet have been replaced.

Ladder safety and you

When you're using a ladder - even a brand new one - the way in which you engage with the ladder can have a dramatic effect on your personal safety.

Follow these ladder safety tips to make sure you're using your ladder correctly.

Don't overload the ladder

Most ladders are sturdy enough to support one's body weight. But they aren't indestructible, and each one is designed with a maximum weight limit in mind. One of our most important ladder safety tips is to never overload your ladder.

Always check the specifications of your ladder to avoid overloading it with too much weight, accounting for the weight of the worker's body plus any materials / equipment they will be carrying.

Carrying too much can put you off-balance and may cause you to fall. Be sensible when it comes to carrying loads up ladders and only carry what you can comfortably handle. It might be a good idea to invest in a tool belt to help you carry things safely up a ladder, for example.

SEE ALSO: Ladders with a high weight capacity

Don't overreach

Setting up your ladder in an appropriate location for the task at hand should be a top priority.

If the area you need to access is even slightly outside of comfortable arm's reach, it can lead to a nasty fall.

One of our top ladder safety tips to avoid overreaching: make sure your belt buckle stays within the stiles of the ladder. Anything beyond that could put you at further risk.

We have more ladder safety tips on our blog, and if you need any help, please let us know and our customer service team will be happy to help.

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1. Once your roof ladder has been positioned onto the roof, secure it in place for safe and secure use.
   
   
2. Place the wheels of the ladder on the roof with the hook facing up. This will allow you to easily slide the roof ladder into place.
   
   
3. If you need to extend the ladder in order to reach the peak of the roof, unlock the safety clips and lengthen the ladder so that it is long enough for the hook to reach the rooftop.
   
   
4. Once the required ladder length has been reached, lock the safety clips in place and wheel the ladder up the rooftop, flipping it over once you reach the peak.
   
   
5. After the rubber hook has surpassed the ridge tile, slot the ladder into place, giving it a light pull to ensure it is indeed secure.More...

How to Hang Outdoor Christmas Lights Safely

Whether you’re hanging outdoor Christmas lights around a window frame or leaving them to dangle majestically from the guttering, the best way to hang Christmas lights outside is with gutter hooks or decorating clips.

There’s no denying it: the most wonderful time of the year is upon us and it’s beginning to look a lot like Christmas once again!

Whether it’s the first sight of the Coca-Cola truck, the first play of “Fairytale of New York” or the first taste of a Greggs festive bake, the joy and excitement of the Christmas period is simply inescapable.

For many households, that yuletide enthusiasm translates into decorative motivation, as thoughts quickly turn to festifying the homestead for the impending… well, festivities!

If your decorative plans include illuminating your external property this holiday season, ensure you do it right with this handy guide on how to hang outdoor Christmas lights safely.

How do you put Christmas lights outside?

When it comes to using Christmas lights outside, the first thing to consider before anything else is how you plan on powering your outdoor lights.

If you have an outdoor power supply or a weatherproof extension cable, you may want to consider mains-powered outdoor Christmas lights.

Conversely, if you want to avoid trailing cables and/or don’t have an outdoor power supply, you may wish to explore the battery-powered route for cableless ease.

How do you hang outdoor Christmas lights?

Once you have identified how you plan to power your lights, the next job is to decide how you plan to hang them. Many Brits opt for the hanging “icicle” effect, while highlighting features – such as doors and windows – is also a popular option.

Whether you’re hanging outdoor Christmas lights around a window frame or leaving them to dangle majestically from the guttering, the best way to hang Christmas lights outside is with gutter hooks or decorating clips.

These miniature fasteners will allow you to hang your lights easily and efficiently at regular intervals without damaging your property. Better still, they also allow for easy adjustment, should you need to tweak the spacing.

Once the hooks are fastened in place, thread the lights through the clips to create the desired effect. Work backwards from the socket if using mains-power to avoid prematurely running out of lights/space. Avoid leaving any hanging wires to create a neater (and safer) finish.

Ladders for hanging Christmas lights

At Ladders UK Direct, we have a wide variety of ladders to choose from, ranging from step ladders and hop ups to DIY extension ladders and work platforms. Each ladder is designed to suit a specific task and environment, with some better for the job than others.

For example, if you’re hanging your Christmas lights from the roof of your house, you may want to consider using a roof ladder. Meanwhile, for porch decorations and ground floor windows, a stepladder should work perfectly.

With a variety of affordable ladders in our sale section, there’s really no excuse for not taking the appropriate precautions. Turn your property into a winter wonderland by lighting up your home safely this Christmas with Ladders UK Direct.

Can I hang Christmas lights without a ladder?

Like any DIY task, it’s important to have the correct tools for the task at hand. With this being a ladder website, it’ll probably come as no surprise that we recommend putting a ladder at the very top of the shopping list.

While there a number of tips and guides online on how to hang Christmas lights without a ladder, doing so is much like hammering in a screw – just because you can, doesn’t mean you should.

Hanging outdoor Christmas lights without a ladder can be extremely dangerous and is an accident waiting to happen. Eliminate an avoidable festive disaster by simply getting the right tools for job, biting the bullet and getting a good ladder.

After all, the only fall anyone wants to see at Christmastime is Hans Gruber tumbling from Nakatomi Plaza. Use a ladder when hanging your Xmas lights to turn your decorative dismay into yippee-ki-aye.

Top tips for hanging Christmas lights safely

As seen in the previous section, the golden rule of hanging Christmas lights is to always use a ladder to do so. However, there are a few other tips to keep in mind when you’re hanging your outdoor lights.

It’s important to ensure your ladder is firmly on solid ground before scaling it. Make sure the surface is level and there is no danger of the ladder rocking or toppling – it’s too late once you’re on the top, so be sure to check before you ascend.

If using a step ladder, it’s also wise to check that you can reach the highest point you need without standing on the very top step. Scaling the top step can make for uneasy stability and increase your chances of a nasty fall.

Finally, if possible, enlist the aid of a friend, family member or neighbour and get them to hold the latter at the base while you climb. This can help to ensure the ladder maintains a steady position while your above ground.

For more information on how to hang Christmas lights safely, why not drop us a line today? Call now on 01446 789538 of get in touch online by clicking the button below.

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