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Gutter cleaning systems

Dezo

New member
Messages
12
Location
Bromley
Hi guys

Need some advice on choosing a new gutter cleaning system.

Weve been using an old gutter cleaning system for a while now which to be honest wasn’t really a problem as we were only cleaning gutters every now and then. We’ve always concentrated on just window cleaning. We’ve just got a new contract to clean quite a few gutters and we’re now looking to upgrade.

Any suggestions on light weight poles

and the best hover systems

Many’s thanks

Des

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It all depends what you want to spend and wether you want 240 volt or 110 we have a 110 v omnivac that runs of a gennie and a Grippatank vac  that’s 240 so depending what type of job we are doing we varie the kit we take , I am quite impressed with the Grippatank vac it’s a lot better than I was expecting , there are a lot of cheap gutter vac systems out there don’t want to mention the company names but they are a cheap set up but generaly they arnt very good there poles are very poor quality, the old adage of you get what you pay for is certainly true , some of the better ones are sky vac Grippatank but they are a lot dearer 

 
i would say get a standerd 240v plug as u can use customers ellectric  , as for vac ide eather speak to lee martin @bladeright he will sort you a amazing deal but he will push u to buy ultra lite alli poles wich are very good but over 25ft there a hand full but last a life time, if you want lite then grippa carbon poles are the best from what ive seen ,i use a numitic hover grippa one this is bomb proof and has plenty of power i no 4 people with these and trust me they last and are up to the job 

 
One thing I will say about gutter vacs is lots say they don't like them due to down spouts getting blocked and vacs can't unblock them well that's just not true all u need is a old hover pipe View attachment 14674

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These hover pipes go rite down to the u bend and clear them

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I have made a similar one too.
Does the job. Most of the time. [emoji106]

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One thing I will say about gutter vacs is lots say they don't like them due to down spouts getting blocked and vacs can't unblock them well that's just not true all u need is a old hover pipe View attachment 14674

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These hover pipes go rite down to the u bend and clear them

Sent using the Window Cleaning Forums mobile app
 






I quite agree we very rarely get the ladder  out but most on hear denigh that you can unblock downpipes without a ladder we have made up a similar thing and it works 99% of the time 

 
I quite agree we very rarely get the ladder  out but most on hear denigh that you can unblock downpipes without a ladder we have made up a similar thing and it works 99% of the time 
It's not that I deny you can, I say it is quicker to  use ladders and an adapted pro tool to do gutters, especially on badly blocked downpipes. Ramming the blockages down the downpipe will block the downpipes that are fastened into the ground. Shifting genies and gutter vacs is far slower, and harder, than a set of ladders. 

 
It's not that I deny you can, I say it is quicker to  use ladders and an adapted pro tool to do gutters, especially on badly blocked downpipes. Ramming the blockages down the downpipe will block the downpipes that are fastened into the ground. Shifting genies and gutter vacs is far slower, and harder, than a set of ladders. 






I wasnt having a go at you or anyone else , just a general statement that most on hear say that a vac won’t clear downpipes , I accept at times a ladder is needed but it doesn’t take any longer to get a vac up and working to getting the ladder out on most jobs we have a 300 meter gutter on a nursing home that we do every 3 months takes a morning and we get 10-12 bin liners of moss out each time and unblock all the Down pipes each visit doing it off ladders would be difficult and take a couple of days : another job we do every 4 weeks shop front 10 meters of guttering on a very steep street again I used to do it of a ladder it took 45 muinits  from pulling up to driving away with the vac it’s 15 muinits and done far safer from the ground , I have got a set of the pro gutter tools gathering dust in the garage never use them as I find the vac far better only exception is where the tiles are very close to the gutter and it’s difficult to get the vac end in the gutter but a job like this is also difficult to do with your hands and the pro tools 

 
I only use gutter vac when it isn't safe to use ladders and spend 20 days a year just doing gutters. Down pipes wouldn't get blocked in 3 months, they might be full, but water will still get down, and a gutter vac will suck that out. When you have 8" of soil packed in with a 12" plant growing out then a gutter vac will take an age to  clear it, and I've got spikes, thinner longer pipes etc. 

You are doing maintenance cleans, and the vast majority of these you can walk along pretending that you're actually clearing them, I've got plenty of them as well. For gutters that haven't been cleared for years then ladders and Pro Tools is quicker and does a better job. Also sodden large leaves will block the vac on a regular basis and unblocking that takes time and a lot of energy. 

 
Can I ask the gutter vac guys how you power the vac? I know some have a generator or some other power source, but I also know guys that connect to the customer mains power. I've just invested in a system and was planning for the moment hooking up to the customer mains. I know that I will have to rely on the customer being home, what is the consensus and how do customers view this.

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Can I ask the gutter vac guys how you power the vac? I know some have a generator or some other power source, but I also know guys that connect to the customer mains power. I've just invested in a system and was planning for the moment hooking up to the customer mains. I know that I will have to rely on the customer being home, what is the consensus and how do customers view this.

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Don't ever put my self in the position of having to rely on customers. If the Vac is in the van then so is the genie. 

 
I always ask the customer are they home or not and make sure they are reminded the day before I come in coming. 

Ideally there is access to power if not I ask them can they leave an extension cable out of a window in a plastic bag or of that's an issue I bring the gen but that incurrs an extra cost added to the bill.

 
I always ask the customer are they home or not and make sure they are reminded the day before I come in coming. 

Ideally there is access to power if not I ask them can they leave an extension cable out of a window in a plastic bag or of that's an issue I bring the gen but that incurrs an extra cost added to the bill.






 This is what we do , ime lucky I have two vacs a 240 volt one  and a110 so depending what ime doing I take the appropriate one with me 110 is nice as it doesn’t rely on anyone else remembering you are coming or leaving a lead out , most customers don’t have any problem with us using their power hope this helps 

 
Ok guys thanks for your suggestions but have a little more to add and maybe a little easier with your ideas. So we’ve just got quite a large commercial gutter cleaning contract that’s gonna keep us busy so will need a system that’s going to be powerful and reliable enough to keep going from day to day. Like I said we currently using an old vacuum cleaner but it’s starting to struggle.
Don’t really want a small budget one as think this won’t last the pace Have seen a few high end big budget suckers online look and sound very good all great lifting power, but very expensive and don’t know if worth the extra dosh
Does anyone use the these or are they a waste of time? Or worth the extra dough?


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Ok guys thanks for your suggestions but have a little more to add and maybe a little easier with your ideas. So we’ve just got quite a large commercial gutter cleaning contract that’s gonna keep us busy so will need a system that’s going to be powerful and reliable enough to keep going from day to day. Like I said we currently using an old vacuum cleaner but it’s starting to struggle.
Don’t really want a small budget one as think this won’t last the pace Have seen a few high end big budget suckers online look and sound very good all great lifting power, but very expensive and don’t know if worth the extra dosh
Does anyone use the these or are they a waste of time? Or worth the extra dough?


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If its good ongoing cash and a big job get a 3600 watt vac minimum 110v and a gen.  

How many meters per visit will you need to clean? 240v will struggle if its really big. Will overheat.

 
As I've said before, big is in the eye of the beholder. Are we talking a 100 metres or is it a lot larger, it would also depend on the environment, surrounded by trees etc, the gutters are in. If you're doing a lot of gutters, £10k+ a year, I would personally spend that bit extra on the all singing and dancing version. 

 
Not many manufacturers detail it but 240v machines are not designed to run for more than four hours a day I was told by my local industrial service shop engineer. The capacitors blow on them/motors blow out on them. Had it happen on an electric NILFISK pressure washer. 

So if its a job that's going to have you there all day, 110v might be the way to go as they run all day long of a gen.

 
Ok guys thanks for your suggestions but have a little more to add and maybe a little easier with your ideas. So we’ve just got quite a large commercial gutter cleaning contract that’s gonna keep us busy so will need a system that’s going to be powerful and reliable enough to keep going from day to day. Like I said we currently using an old vacuum cleaner but it’s starting to struggle.
Don’t really want a small budget one as think this won’t last the pace Have seen a few high end big budget suckers online look and sound very good all great lifting power, but very expensive and don’t know if worth the extra dosh
Does anyone use the these or are they a waste of time? Or worth the extra dough?


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We have an omnivac 110 volt 3600 wat 3 motors it’s old now but a very good machine , we also have a Grippatank vac 240 volt have to say Ime very impressed with it , Ime looking at selling the omnivac and getting a skyvac industrial they arnt cheap but are very good the old adage you get what you pay for is very true 

 
I use the industrial edition 3600watt 3 motor - Elsea Titanus.

Good for working in environments where there could be metal shavings as they can destroy your motors. 

 
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