[lal]

   I have been doing Gutter clearing as an add on service to window cleaning for over 2 years now, using a gutter vac, plus
   ladder when needed, yesterday unfortunately i had my first ever experience with gutters with the hedgehog brushes in
   them, what a complete P.I.T.A. 
   There is no way i could see of clearing out the gutters with this useless hedgehog in there, so i advised the customer the
   best thing was to remove it permanently, to which he agreed, i had to cut it  in sections with a hacksaw off the ladder to
   remove it gradually, as it was so wedged with crap it was to heavy to slide along the gutter between the brackets, and the mess
  removing it on me and on the ground was unbelievable.
  Whats your experience of these gutter hedgehogs, how did you deal with them.

  Lal

[nathankaye]

Ive done gutter cleans all the time as an added service to window cleaning over last 15yrs. Thank fully ive not come accross these. Ive always used ladders when sorting out gutters, but im now thinking of upselling when offering gutter cleans. Offering to fit these, at a marked up price of course

[Smurf]

Nathan all the types of gutter guards I've come across don't work and get blocked after time as are not maintenance free. Therefore my advice is don’t install them unless you want a whole lot of grief.

[Smurf]

Also these are a waste of time too as you will be called out more often when the guttering starts backing up and starts overflowing.  https://www.google.co.uk/search?q=gutter+ballons&ie=utf-8&oe=utf-8&client=firefox-b&gfe_rd=cr&ei=lKIMWNuNPMzv8AfuvZWoAQ

[Smurf]

I will find and post a few pics to prove all these gizmos don't work.

[Nick Day]

We've been paid by councils to remove these. Amazon used to have reviews about hedgehog, they were so bad that they were removed.
Be very careful getting involved with any of these guards, some people have had disastrous damaged caused by them and you could get drawn in to court actions for fitting and therefore recommending them.

[nathankaye]

Cheers guys, think i may leave that money making scheme to one side.
Those gutter balloon things, ive come accross those plenty of times and removed them completely.
I was thinking of the screwfix gaurds for a customer moaning at alot of leaves blocking his as he lives near plenty of trees.
But might recommend my services twice a year in stead 

[Smurf]

This type was pop riveted to the ali gutters...

[Smurf]

After clearing the gutters on a house I was ask by the customer if I could install some hedgehog that they had already bought.
I did warn them it don't work but they paid me to fit it anyway. A year down the road I get a call and they are begging me to take it out...I wonder why.

It don't look very badly blocked from the pics but I can assure you it was as the gutters were full of crap as well as the hedgehog  weighed a ton trying to get it out.

Yes Lal the mess it made taking it out was unbelievable as I just let it drop to the floor as you do.  I did warn the customer beforehand it was going to make a hell of mess but thankfully the lady said don't worry about it and done most of the clean up herself whilst I was working. By the time I had packed away the mess was sorted.

[Smurf]

Cheers guys, think i may leave that money making scheme to one side.
Those gutter balloon things, ive come accross those plenty of times and removed them completely.
I was thinking of the screwfix gaurds for a customer moaning at alot of leaves blocking his as he lives near plenty of trees.
But might recommend my services twice a year in stead 

A twice yearly service is a quite common frequency on some properties

[dazmond]

why risk your neck up a ladder doing this kind of work and all the faff and hassle that comes with it?

[lal]

why risk your neck up a ladder doing this kind of work and all the faff and hassle that comes with it?

 Your dead right dazmond, that will definitely be the last gutter job i do that has Hedgehog brushes in, the customer did foot
 my ladder and clear the mess up on the ground, but i got absolutely covered in muck, lesson learned.

[Nick Day]

It's a shame that for what Hedgehog costs with installation it would be far cheaper just to get their gutters cleared once or twice a year!!

[dazmond]

why risk your neck up a ladder doing this kind of work and all the faff and hassle that comes with it?

 Your dead right dazmond, that will definitely be the last gutter job i do that has Hedgehog brushes in, the customer did foot
 my ladder and clear the mess up on the ground, but i got absolutely covered in muck, lesson learned.

i stopped years ago when i went wfp.i still get asked from time to time but i wont do them.i always hated clearing them out and it can be dangerous work.now i have more than enough work with f/s/g,conny roofs,solar panel cleaning  on top of my regular window cleaning work.

if a customer is insistent i offer them my ladders to borrow to do them themselves.they rarely take me up on the offer!

[Smurf]

I would say it’s very wise to have a ladder minimisation policy in place as like you say clearing gutters etc by ladder can indeed be dangerous work.  Also not a very smart idea to lend ladders to a customer, their family members or other tradesmen as could make you liable if they fell.

As far as someone footing a ladder to be honest I would not trust anyone to foot a ladder for me. Instead my preferred choice is to use an ankalad (outriggers) fitted to triple ladders and a microlite standoff if/when wanting to access rooflines (up to 2 storeys). 

However the safest option and used by many firms like BT & SKY is to use a Vertical Lifeline System & Ladder Restraint System as shown in this vid https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-JSxy43fnPA

[Smurf]

Back to window cleaning this vid makes me cringe https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=q3p3VsbQPg4
Not quite grasped the concept of using a pole methinks 

[dazmond]

smurf it wouldnt be my fault if he fell off my ladders on his own property.he s taking the risk,not me!

[Smurf]

smurf it wouldnt be my fault if he fell off my ladders on his own property.he s taking the risk,not me!

You could try telling that to his windowed wife and 2 young kids that don't have a father anymore.
Would never forgive yourself would you.

That is why I don't lend ladders to anyone as I could not live with myself if someone seriously got hurt or worst died.

[Mike55]

After clearing the gutters on a house I was ask by the customer if I could install some hedgehog that they had already bought.
I did warn them it don't work but they paid me to fit it anyway. A year down the road I get a call and they are begging me to take it out...I wonder why.

It don't look very badly blocked from the pics but I can assure you it was as the gutters were full of crap as well as the hedgehog  weighed a ton trying to get it out.

Yes Lal the mess it made taking it out was unbelievable as I just let it drop to the floor as you do.  I did warn the customer beforehand it was going to make a hell of mess but thankfully the lady said don't worry about it and done most of the clean up herself whilst I was working. By the time I had packed away the mess was sorted.

Just an observation - the brush looks pretty sparse...... I wonder if this is genuine hedgehog gutter brush or a cheap copy and whether that is the reason for the problem?  The hedgehog brush I have seen looks much denser than the stuff in the pic.

I'll just add that I am not affiliated to hedgehog in anyway nor do I fit this stuff......

[Smurf]

Hi Mike, being white the bristles density looks a bit deceiving in the pic. However it came in a large branded hedgehog gutter brush box and is no differnt bristle wise to the black hedgehog branded version being sold.