How To Make A Gutter Cleaner From A Leaf Blower (Do This!)

How To Make a Gutter Cleaner From a Leaf BlowerMany homeowners dread cleaning the gutters due to the risk and intensive work that it involves. You can always hire a professional to clean your gutters for you, but you don’t need to if you have a leaf blower. That sounds too good to be true, but how do you turn your leaf blower into a gutter cleaner?

You can turn your leaf blower into a gutter cleaner with PVC pipes, a PVC U-joint, and duct tape. All that you need to do is connect the PVC to the blowing nozzle and wrap it in 3-6 layers of duct tape. The permanent solution is to coat PVC with PVC primer, and then glue the PVC to the nozzle and U-joint with cement for a stronger hold.

Use PVC primer and cement if you want to permanently use your leaf blower as a gutter cleaner. Otherwise, all that you need is two lengths of PVC, a PVC U-joint, and a roll of duct tape. Let’s take a deep dive into how you can turn your leaf blower into a gutter cleaner.

You can use a leaf blower to clean gutters, but it can be difficult if you don’t modify it. Leaf blowers with strong blowing force, such as Stihl and Husqvarna, usually have enough strength to clean a leaf blower. With that said, it will still require you to get up on a ladder to access the gutters and isn’t dependable every time.

You may face trouble removing all of the leaves and debris in your gutters with a standard leaf blower. Because of that, you will need to use your DIY instincts to rig up a makeshift modification that will turn your leaf blower into a gutter cleaner.

There is no difference between gas and electric leaf blowers when it comes to turning them into gutter cleaners. The best modification you can make to your leaf blower is fixing it with PVC pipes and a PVC joint. Duct tape is great if you want to temporarily turn your leaf blower into a gutter cleaner, but not a good permanent solution.

If you want to permanently dedicate your leaf blower to gutter cleaning, you’ll need to use a PVC primer and cement. Otherwise, duct tape is all that you will need to attach PVC to your leaf blower to use as a gutter cleaner.

Gather a miter saw, protective eyewear, PVC pipe, and a PVC joint before you begin. Use the miter saw to carefully cut one 2” length of PVC and cut another length that measures 6”. You can generally purchase PVC joints of different measurements, but if not, you’ll need to cut them.

Buy a PVC U-joint, make sure that it’s compatible with the straight PVC, and cut it to 2”. Next, push the 2” length of PVC into the joint to make sure that it fits properly. If it fits, place the 6” length of PVC into the free end of the 2” U-joint to ensure that it fits as well.

You can connect the PVC pipes assuming that they fit if you cut them to the correct measurement. There are two ways that you can proceed with this step, and the one that you choose depends on preferences. You can connect the PVC with duct tape if you want a temporary gutter cleaner out of your leaf blower.

Otherwise, you can connect the PVC pipes using PVC primer and cement solvent if you want permanent gutter cleaner.

Duct tape is the easiest way to turn your leaf blower into a gutter cleaner, and it takes no time. Make sure that the lengths of PVC pipe fit into your PVC U-joint perfectly before you duct tape them. Start by holding the first 2” length of PVC firmly against the blowing nozzle on your leaf blower.

Wrap the PVC pipe with 3-6 layers of duct tape so that it can connect to the leaf blower. Gently try to move and shake the PVC to make sure that it has a strong fit with the blowing nozzle. Leaf blowers have intense blowing force, so you want to make sure that they can withstand the power during operation.

Next, put the PVC into the opening of the U-joint and wrap it 3-6 times with duct tape. Place the final 6” length of PVC into the free open end of the U-joint and use up to 6 layers of duct tape as well. You are now ready to use your leaf blower as a gutter cleaner if the duct tape is strong enough to hold the connection.

You can use a combination of PVC primer and cement if you want a permanent gutter cleaner. PVC primer is necessary because it allows the surface to bond more easily with the cement. Use a brush to apply the PVC primer around the end of each length of PVC.

Make sure to coat both ends of the 2” length of PVC that sticks out of your leaf blower’s blowing nozzle. The open end needs the PVC primer because it will go into the PVC U-joint. Give yourself 10-20 seconds for the PVC primer to do its work before you connect the PVC with cement.

Now, brush a thin layer of cement around the end of the 2” length of PVC and press it into the blowing nozzle. Put pressure on the PVC and hold it still for 30 seconds before you move onto the other end. Repeat this process with each end of PVC that goes into the PVC U-joint, and your leaf blower is now a gutter cleaner.

Related Questions

Can you clean gutters with a shop vac?

Yes, you can clean gutters with a shop vac, and there are even shop vac gutter cleaning kits available. Shop vacs are great for cleaning gutters because of the reach of the hose and the power of the machine. As long as your hose is 2.5” in diameter, you should be able to clean the gutters with a shop vac.

How much does it cost to clean your gutters?

You can expect to pay between $120 and $230 to have your gutters cleaned by a professional. It all depends on the size of your home, the length of your gutters, and the hourly rate of the professional. Large homes with multiple stories can cost as much as $100-$250 more for a gutter cleaning service.

What is the fastest way to clean gutters?

A leaf blower is the fastest way to clean gutters because of the intense blowing force that most of them have. Modifying a leaf blower with PVC can extend your reach and make it much easier to clear leaves and debris. Douse your gutters with water and white vinegar after you clear the debris to help bring a healthy color to the metal.

What is the black stuff on my gutters?

Black staining and muck appear on gutters when water rolls off of your roof and into the gutter. This is a common issue for homeowners in areas with high humidity and a lot of rain. Otherwise, it can be caused by leaves being lodged in the gutters and breaking down over time leaving a stain behind.

Cut a 2” length of PVC, and another 6” length of PVC to start before you begin. Next, you’ll need to buy a PVC U-joint that measures 2”, or you’ll have to cut it to 2”. You need to put the two lengths of PVC into the two openings on the U-joint to make sure that they all fit properly.

If they fit, you can press the 2” length against the blowing nozzle and tape it with 3-6 layers. Repeat that process with the other end to connect it to the U-joint and tape the 6” length to the free end of the U-joint. That is how you turn your leaf blower into a temporary gutter cleaner, and it takes no time at all.

The permanent solution requires you to coat your lengths of PVC with a layer of PVC primer. Allow the primer to sit for 30 seconds, then brush cement onto each end of the PVC and press it against the nozzle and openings of the joint to form a bond. That is all that it takes to transform your leaf blower into a gutter cleaner.