Is It Safe to Clean Two-Storey Eavestroughs Yourself in Ottawa?

The honest answer is that cleaning eavestroughs on a two-storey home yourself is risky, and for most Ottawa homeowners, hiring a professional is the smarter and safer choice. Falls from ladders are one of the leading causes of serious injury in residential settings, and the risk increases dramatically once you are working above single-storey height.

A typical two-storey Ottawa home puts your eavestroughs at 20 to 25 feet above grade. At that height, you need a properly rated extension ladder that extends at least 3 feet above the gutter line for safe mounting and dismounting. The ladder must be set at the correct 4:1 angle, meaning for every 4 feet of height, the base should be 1 foot away from the wall. On a two-storey home, this places the ladder base roughly 6 feet out from the foundation, and you need firm, level ground for stable footing.

Ottawa's older neighbourhoods present unique ladder challenges that make two-storey gutter cleaning particularly hazardous. Homes in the Glebe, Old Ottawa South, Westboro, and Centretown often have uneven landscaping, narrow side yards, and mature tree roots that prevent stable ladder placement. Winter frost heave can leave the ground around your foundation uneven well into spring, and Ottawa's clay soil stays soft and slippery long after rain. A ladder sinking into soft clay or sliding on a sloped surface at 20 feet is an extremely dangerous situation.

If you are determined to clean your two-storey eavestroughs yourself, invest in a ladder stabilizer (also called a standoff bracket), which costs $30 to $60 and prevents the ladder from resting directly on the gutter, reducing both damage to the eavestrough and the risk of the ladder sliding sideways. Never lean more than arm's length to either side while on the ladder, and always have someone on the ground as a spotter who can hold the base and call for help if needed. Wear non-slip footwear and work gloves, and never clean eavestroughs in wet, icy, or windy conditions.

A much safer alternative for DIY-minded homeowners is a telescoping gutter cleaning wand that attaches to your garden hose or pressure washer. These tools extend 12 to 18 feet and let you flush debris from ground level. They cost $30 to $80 at Ottawa hardware stores and eliminate ladder risk entirely, though they are less precise than hand-cleaning and can leave compacted debris behind.

Professional eavestrough cleaning on a two-storey Ottawa home typically costs $200 to $400 per visit, and most companies offer spring and fall cleaning packages for $350 to $700 annually. Professionals carry proper equipment including harnesses, scaffolding when needed, and commercial-grade vacuums. They also carry WSIB coverage, meaning you are not liable if they are injured on your property.

For most two-storey homeowners, the cost of professional cleaning is well worth the safety it provides. Browse local eavestrough professionals through the Ottawa Construction Network directory at justynrookcontracting.com to compare your options.