How to stop weeds growing in gutters?

[Dave38]

Hi,

I have weeds (plants actually ) growing in my gutters, beneath Gutter guards, and was wondering what the best option is for dealing with this. My gutters lead to a rainwater tank so I assume using something like roundup would not be a good idea.

Thanks,

Dave

 

[MitchellMc]

Welcome to the Bunnings Workshop community @Dave38. It's brilliant to have you join us, and many thanks for your question about weedy gutters.

If you've got weeds growing in your gutters, then they are doing so in organic matter. If you've got a build-up of organic matter, then it is time to clean out your gutters. It appears like the gutter mesh is some type of proprietary system. Does it undo somehow to allow access? Perhaps those screws on the lip hold a C-channel strip in position that captures the edge of the mesh? If you undo the screws, does it release the mesh? Alternatively, you could try blasting the sediment out and down the gutter with a high-pressure washer. That's dangerous work at height on a wet ladder, though.

You would be correct in assuming that using Glyphosate is likely not a great idea, especially if this is drinking water. If the water is used to irrigate the garden, then the tiny amount of poison it will take to kill the plants will be thoroughly diluted to inconsequential levels by the vast volume of water in the tank.

Let us know if the mesh can't be undone, and we'll see if our knowledgeable members can come up with another idea.

Mitchell

[Dave38]

Thanks Mitchell . I'll give removing The gutter guardsa go. If it doesnt work I'll let you know.

Cheers ,

Dave

[Flyingdoormat]

I'd suggest @Dave38 that the gutter guards aren't doing their job and are actually making it harder for you to keep your gutters clean. I'd get rid of them. I'd certainly not put anything like Roundup into my water tank. Just clean the gutters regularly and you'll be golden. 

[EricL]

Hi @Dave38

It's great that you've received excellent advice from @MitchellMc and @Flyingdoormat. I had the same problem when I was renting a house with gutter guard. Gutter guard is great at what it does, it prevents leaves and large debris from settling into your gutter. However, fine dirt and crushed dry leaf particles still get through the mesh. This plus the build-up of mould and mildew is the perfect breeding ground for weeds.    

Once you've done your clean-up, I suggest using a Pope Extendable Cleaning Wand to clean your gutter every month. It would be a shame to just throw away the gutter guard and adding chemicals to deal with the weed growth is not advised. Your objective is to loosen and remove any form of dirt buildup in your gutter. Giving your gutter a thorough clean once a year is always the best practice. 

If you need further assistance, please let us know.

Eric

[Dave38]

Thanks @EricL @Flyingdoormat @MitchellMc 

I was able to remove the gutter guards and clear out the gutters. We've had the gutter guards on for 9 years now and this is the first time we've noticed this issue so I'm relatively happy with the job they are doing. I also noticed the issue was only in a small section so I do wonder if the gutters weren't installed correctly and that there is a slight low in that area that allows water and soil to accumulate. Anyway, it seems a regular flushing and occasional clearing out of the gutters should help avoid this issue in the future. Thanks so much for all your replies.

Cheers,

Dave