Get high and be safe (not that kind of high)

I’m just curious on what others do. I don’t have a 40’ ladder but I don’t think it would be quite enough anyway and almost impossible to handle on this hill. how would you guys go about gutter job like this?

Something like that I think you would have to use a temporary tie off points on the roof. Something like the Miller RA-15 anchor. It seems extreme for a gutter cleanout, but falling off a roof is no joke. That slope wont even allow a rough terrain scissor lift, if it was off a lift it would need to be a snorkel lift with enough range to park at the high point and reach horizontally along the length of the house. Is there gutter to the sides of the deck facing to the trees (right side of the photo)? The temp anchors are good, but you also need the homeowners permission to install as it is basically punching holes in the roof to be repaired when you remove it. Also you should have fall protection training to install and use the harnesses to move around when your up there.

I actually have taken a fall protection course for a volunteer group I work with at times. I look for the best places to tie off and use towels and wool blankets to protect my rope. I got a bit of rappelling training so that’s my preferred setup.

Just trying to get any ideas to improve on safety foremost. I’m getting a lot of jobs like this since it’s hard to find people willing to do them.

Others walk away from the job and I get to charge at least double if not more.

I have a friend who’s health is screwed up from pain killers after breaking his back falling from a rooftop. So this is no joke to me.

Any suggestions on safety are very well welcomed!!

If you’ve got the training, then for sure, invest in some temp anchors. You can offer it like you said as others walk away from it. Even when providing your quote, make sure the homeowner knows that this involves specialized training and equipment for safety.

If it was me, I’d have three anchor points across that ridge to be able to walk along the edge. One relatively centred and one at each end 10’ in. Double ropes and do everything from on top. Personally I’d be tied from the back d loop harness to keep ropes out of my way. I’d access from the high side with a ladder and levelling leg. Also check if there is a good spot to tie off the ladder. Hopefully the ridge we see can also be used for access to the other side as well. Best of luck on it. Looks like a fun job. Definitely not your average gutter clean.

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The whole roof line on this one was actually kind of chopped up randomly with the design of the house. This was just the one hardest part to get to. I haven’t been using a roof anchors, but I am going to start doubling up on ropes in a way to give myself multiple anchor points. I’d hate to take a bad swing fall.

This system is pricey but if you want the odd jobs that nobody else can handle and do it safely then you’ve got to look into it. I’ve used it (not with their vacuum but with equal power or greater) and it’s amazing. It’s extremely quick on dry debris. Extremely Effective but slower when the throughs are full of soaked leaves.

There is a video on YouTube. The guy works a lot slower then you actually can do it.

Lol! The price alone makes me laugh, considering how fast I can move on a job. But I’ve seen this posted before, I’ll have to look in to it though. Thank you

12m reach is a long way up there. I can just see the customer asking when youre all done.
Did you get a video of it being cleaned? No. Well how do you know if you got everything without walking the edge? :man_facepalming:
Very cool product though.

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It can be fitted with an optional camera and lcd screen or you can use a go pro and a iPhone in a cradle (cheaper).
It also has a release valve if anything big blocks it ,you just twist the pole away from the gutter and drop it down (the blockage).
I WILL BE ADDING ONE TO OUR TEAM SOON. :ok_hand:

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@AdamPWC
If it’s just the occasional one-off you can buy a cheap wet dry vac like this and connect a diy pvc pipe with a “u piece” on the top. U can even gaffer tape a cradle up top if u like and put a piece of Velcro on your iPhone and pop it up there and record your pre/post inspection for the client.
If you can test your system out prior it could be perfect for a small length of inaccessible gutter.
It’s main limitation is capacity and power but it might be a quick fix!

U got this @AdamPWC ! :sunglasses:

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This is what I love about being in the trades industry. Someone has always figured out how to do something, easier, faster, cheaper. Absolutely love it. You just know the first sky vac was just that. One guy sitting there trying to figure out how the hell to clean a gutter with an unsafe roofline, and just went and bought 40’ of pvc pipe and stuck it on the end of his shop vac.

As for the camera work. This might just be a situation where I can justify the company buying a drone for me…

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You could also us these poles with the wet dry vac system https://windowcleaner.com/tucker-gutter-poles

This is a DIY using a wfp

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Well that’s creative!

Cool!