Two-storey gutter cleaning is a very different job to cleaning the gutters on a single-storey house. The ladder is taller, the ground below is often a path, driveway or garden bed, and you are reaching sideways while holding a bucket of wet leaves. It is one of the riskiest maintenance jobs a homeowner can take on, and one of the best to hand to a professional.

Why two-storey gutters are harder to clean

• Height. A fall from second-storey gutter height can cause serious injuries.
• Access. Upper gutters often sit above a lower roof, a balcony, a pergola or a steep slope, so there is no flat, firm spot for a ladder.
• Sloping blocks. Many homes around the Illawarra are built into hillsides, from Thirroul and Austinmer to Mount Keira, Figtree and Kiama, which makes ladder footing even harder.
• Hidden areas. Valleys and box gutters on the upper roof can’t be seen from the ground, so they get missed until they overflow inside.

How IMG does two-storey gutter cleaning

Each home is looked at first, so the access method suits the roof, the height and the ground around the house. On many two-storey homes, gutter vacuum equipment with carbon-fibre poles lets much of the cleaning be done from the ground, which is safer and keeps the mess contained. Where the roof itself has to be accessed, the team works with suitable safety equipment and safe work method statements on every job.

Every clean covers the gutters, valleys and box gutters, then the downpipes are checked and cleared. Debris is bagged and taken away. See the full list in Professional Gutter Cleaning: What’s Included.

Photos so you can see the result

You can’t easily see into a second-storey gutter, so IMG takes drone photos before and after. You see exactly what was in there and that it is now clear, without climbing anything. Anything found along the way, such as cracked tiles or signs of possums, is photographed and reported.

What to ask any gutter cleaner

• Do you hold public liability insurance, and how much? IMG carries $20 million.
• Do you have workers compensation cover for your team?
• Do you clean valleys, box gutters and downpipes, or just the gutters?
• Will I get photos of the finished job?
• Will you take the debris away?

Signs your upper gutters need cleaning

• Water spilling over the gutter edge in rain
• Plants or grass growing out of the gutter
• Staining on the walls or fascia below the gutter
• Damp patches on upstairs ceilings
• Birds or possums hanging around the roof line

Tired of booking cleans?

If your upper gutters keep filling up, gutter guard can cut down how often anyone needs to go up there. IMG fits Karben aluminium mesh with a 15-year product warranty and a 20-year workmanship warranty, and most installs include a free gutter clean before the mesh goes on.

Frequently asked questions

Can two-storey gutters be cleaned from the ground?

Often, yes. Gutter vacuum equipment lets much of the work be done from the ground on many homes. Some roofs still need someone up top, which is done with the right safety equipment.

Is it safe to clean two-storey gutters myself?

It is one of the riskier jobs around the home. If you are not set up for work at height, it is safer to use a fully licensed and insured professional.

Do you clean box gutters and valleys on the upper roof?

Yes, every clean includes valleys and box gutters, and the downpipes are checked and cleared.

Book two-storey gutter cleaning

Illawarra Maintenance Group is a local, family-owned team, fully licensed and insured, with more than 15 years of trade experience. See our gutter cleaning in Wollongong and the Illawarra.

Call 0411 389 184 or request a free quote and we will be in touch.