UPDATE: Gutter Vac (3+ Years Later)
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- čas přidán 23. 11. 2021
- This is an UPDATE to the DIY Gutter Vac Attachment video I released over 3 years ago, in the summer of 2018. If you haven't seen that video, you'll probably want to watch it first here: • DIY Gutter Vacuum - Ea...
I figured I'd do a follow-up video to better show the ease of use as well as answer the most common questions I've received over the years.
My first video covers building and testing the gutter vacuum attachment ( • DIY Gutter Vacuum - Ea... ). All you need are 2 sections of central vacuum tubing, 2 long sweep elbows, and a piece of 2 inch ABS pipe. The central vacuum tubing is much lighter that standard schedule 40 PVC pipe and is key to keeping the attachment light weight. See the links below for the parts and tools I used:
***If you're having trouble finding the central vacuum tubing or fittings, call your local electrical supply store.
Central Vacuum Tubing:
www.homedepot.com/p/100155184
OR
amzn.to/3dJr9Ci (affiliate*)
90 Degree Long Sweep Elbow (x2):
www.homedepot.com/p/202195581
OR
amzn.to/3r0OZTq (affiliate*)
Black ABS Pipe:
www.homedepot.com/p/202300519
OR
amzn.to/3bM9GYp (affiliate*)
Wet/Dry Vac:
www.homedepot.com/p/304006023
*Purchasing from these Amazon affiliate links earns my channel a small commission. Think of it as a tip that doesn't cost you anything. Thanks for the support! - Jak na to + styl
Mike, you have changed my life,! I am a 70 yr old female and do all my own handyman work. I have many ladders but know a person who fell off a ladder and had 3 surgeries to her mouth. I am now more respectful to ladders. I cannot wait to make your project! Your video is excellent The instructions are so clear & seems like you answered any question person would have. Thank you Thank you Keep the videos coming.
Thanks, I really appreciate the positive feedback! Yeah, ladders definitely have their place but why risk it when you can clean your gutters without 'em? I don't want to be the ladder fall story that all my friends are talking about. :)
Just so good, Mike. Excellent job of illustration and answering queries raised. 🤞that I will proceed to make it all !!
I'm sure you'll have no problems with the construction. Let me know if you have any questions.
Glad to see this worked on a 2 story gutter. Nice setup!
Thanks for watching!
Great videos. This one video had one of the highest positive impact in my life
Thanks, I appreciate the positive feedback!
I made this for my husband last year according to your detailed instructions. Thank you so much for keeping us off ladders for our two story home. We have used it numerous times with no issues.
I have used it both ways with our shop vac too; either sucking up debris or blowing out dry leaves.
That's great, I really appreciate you coming back to leave a comment! :)
Excellent update! Thank you
Thanks for watching!
I think this is the optimal solution. Your explaination is strong
Thanks, I appreciate the comment.
Finally!
I've waited over 3 years for this 💪
Hahaha, thanks for watching! :)
Thanks so much for sharing your fantastic idea on how to safely clean, highly elevated gutters! Your DIY instructions are also top notch, and I'm currently in the process of ordering up the parts to make my own setup. Thanks again for taking the time to share your idea and for your detailed instructions.
I appreciate you taking the time to leave such a nice comment! I really enjoy knowing that my videos are helpful to people. :)
Thank you so much. The video is very well made. The instructions are clear. My local Home Depot no longer carries the PVC Broan Nutone pipes so I had to order on line.
Thanks for the comment, I appreciate it!
Great video! Very helphul. I love homemade solutions to everyday problems and your videos are very well done. Thank you!
I appreciate the kind words, thanks for the comment! :)
Let me comment on my experience. Today I went ahead and made and used the gutter cleaner as described. I used the vacuum pipe which is much lighter that both my local Lowe's and HD had in stock. My second floor gutters are 21' off the ground so I made a 6' section with the curved end and a 10' section. I used the 6' section for first floor gutters along with the shop vacuum (that has 7' hose and 2 extensions that came with the vacuum). When doing the upper gutters I just add in the 10' section. My shop vacuum is an older Rigid 9 gallon, 3.5 hp model. The gutter sucker worked flawlessly even with the 3.5 hp model which I thought I might have to upgrade. I had lots of pine needles and part of the upper gutter was blocked. Sucked out the blockage in a few seconds and then I heard lots of water coming down the downspout. I don't have a visual of how clean it is but the water is running and I did get a good amount of wet needles and mud out of the gutters. Only time that I had problems was when I sucked up large pine cones that blocked the entrance. Sometimes I could just knock them off against the gutter; others I had to bring down and pull off. Would have been nice under these circumstances to be able to shut off vacuum and have the pine come just drop off but no real problems. At $50 for materials, much cheaper than $200 per year to have someone come and do it.
Wow, thanks for the detailed experience! It's nice to know that some Lowes and Home Depot stores still stock central vacuum tubing. It's also great to hear that a 3.5 HP vacuum had enough power. I'm sure this info will be very handy for other viewers. Thanks again!
How long did it take you
Sounds great ! Thanks for your sharing. Wonder how you connect the vacuum pipe sections and how do they connect to the hose ?
@@davidluo6108 His first video goes into detail on exactly how all the pieces fit together! I think there’s a link to that in the description.
They make a remote power switch/outlet combo. Maybe look into that too. Thanks for your experience.
Thanks for providing info about the pipe.
Sure thing, thanks for watching!
This works great. Easy to build and cheap. Great video!
Thanks for the comment, I appreciate it! :)
Thanks mate, Henry from Australia, even better than the first video. Great ideas. Starting immediately.
Thanks for the comment, let me know how it turns out!
Thank you for the update video very useful. Have a safe and happy holidays.
Thanks for watching! :)
Thanks for the great vid and inspiration. Built one similar today and it worked great!
That's great, glad to hear it, thanks for the comment!
I only have a single story gutter system and bought a Sunjoe blower system thing. works well. I notice the neighbors houses across the street and they are at least 16 feet high and wondered how they clean them. I thought of your idea and found both your videos. Very well thought out and works great. Well, explained, thanks.
Thanks, I appreciate the comment! Home Depot sells a single-story kit, for around $30, that attaches to their Ridgid wet/dry vacs so you could either blow or suck the leaves out. Thanks for watching!
Great video! another selling point for this concept is seen around the 4:47 time mark! no more wasp stings!!! lol, when I first ran through the video, I thought you had added some comical wasp graphics to the video since the sped up viewing makes it bounce all over the place, but after going back and checking, i now realized it was an actual wasp trying to figure out what to do. I've had many a past experience cleaning our gutters where i ran into a yellow jackets nest lying just under the gutter rim. No more issues with your concept! Well done!
Yep, it does keep you from getting stung. Another viewer built one and mentioned that they also actually use the attachment to suck up wasp nest and spider webs from under the soffit. :)
one of my bay windows was impossible to do until I saw this. Thanks!
Cool, I'm glad the video was helpful, thanks for the comment! :)
Making mine tomorrow! Thanks for the update
Let me know how it goes, thanks for watching!
How can I have one like that I am interested can you make for me one same I live in Markham Ontario CANADA
@@nehatarifi5948 The first video (czcams.com/video/-cRUheSAXM4/video.html) shows how to build the attachment.
No idea how to make that
I’m convinced. I’ll build one of these and use my 5hp Rigid vacuum. I’m not worried about the height, but all that ladder toting gets old, fast. Thanks for the update, I will learn from your mistakes.
Thanks for watching!
Mike, I am so glad you made this video. I wasn't born with big muscles so the light-weight central vacuum tubing is perfect. I did the whole 2-story house last year and it was all day with being extra careful. I will build this now. Thanks so much.
Thanks for the comment! Let me know how it turns out.
Where did you get central vacuum tubbing?
@@faulltw I got mine at my local electrical supply store.
@@Mikeattempts Thank you, I will give that a try. I have gutter guards that do a pretty good job, but I need to clean behind the shields at the valleys on a two story house. Those are preventing water from getting into the gutters.
@@faulltw Some people were able to find central vacuum tubing at their local Lowes/Home Depot too. Let me know how it goes!
This is amazing and exactly what I needed. I've been leery about getting up on a ladder since my back yard is sloped where the base would sit and falling off is a legitimate concern.
Paid a gutter cleaner in the spring but can't afford to keep shelling out multiple times per year. This system is perfect for me. Thank you. Will pay it forward and offer to clean gutters for some of my elderly neighbors.
Thanks, I'm sure your neighbors will appreciate it! if you have any questions, let me know.
Outstanding! Thanks.
Thank you for watching! :)
Thanks again I will build one tomorrow.
Let me know if you have any questions.
I need to make one of these!
If you end up making one, let me know how it goes. Thanks for watching!
Thank you for this 😊
Thank you for watching! :)
Thank you for this! I had made a Sch 40 version a couple of years ago and the challenge of course has been the weight. Two of the house gutters I clean are on slopes so this version will make the job MUCH easier. I could not find Sch 20 pipe locally so I had to purchase online. There are several places that do ship.
Thanks again.
Yeah, the attachment made with central vacuum tubing will be about 1/3 of the weight which will make a huge difference. Plus, the tubing fits together with the vacuum hose much better too. Thanks for the comment!
Where did you order the schedule 20 pipe from?
@@amothinisengard6505
I don’t think schedule 20 exists…probably schedule 30 …even so,hard to find any of the parts described here…not even on Amazon…
I will try some local electrical supply stores…Home Depot and Lowe’s in their website site…out of stock.
As a vacuum-lover, I’m interested!
I haven't had to get on a ladder to clean my gutters for over 4 years, it's great!
I can't wait to use again this fall the gutter cleaner set-up I made based on your recommendation. The first time I used mine was before Winter and my expenses were already paid-up for cleaning mine, my neighbor and my brother's.
That's great, thanks for the comment!
poggers
Well, I made mine today-it cleans gutters far cleaner than doing it manually-extremely clean! A few thoughts:
1. I ended up cutting the fingers off as they increased the likelihood of debris clogging the intake by catching on the edges. I replace them with a gentle convex curve. This eliminated edges where debris could hang up on and increased the surface area of the intake also reducing clogging. There was enough curve so there was very little sticking of the nozzle end to the gutter. I used tin snips to make the gentle curve. 2. 8 feet is a little short and your arms are up and it gets tiring. I'm going to add a 2 foot extensions so arms can be more horizontal. I just couldn't find 10 foot sections around where I live (Charlotte) but 8 foot is widely available. 3. My gutters had nearly 4 years of accumulation (my bad) but they are totally clean now. It definitely took more time this first cleaning, but I didn't want to get up on a ladder. I imagine, as you said, it will be a very quick process with material that is less dense, less decayed, looser, and drier. 4. The straight piece alone is great for suctioning spider webs and wasp nests. I have a 3 story house with a high pitched roof so I'm out of luck with the highest gutters. Probably too many degrees of freedom for a 3rd section. Thank you so much of an amazing home care video!
That's awesome, thanks for the detailed update! I really like the idea of just making the end slightly wavy to avoid suctioning itself to the bottom of the gutter. Also, the spider web/wasp nest sucker idea is genius! I have a ton of high webs and sucking them up will work much better than my current method of using a cobweb duster on the end of an 18 foot extension pole. :)
Bonus use to get hives in the eaves is brilliant. Thanks for the idea.
I made one of these years ago as getting on roof and using leave blower made too much of a mess and 2 stories up made it even harder, plus the pool solar heating was on this side of the house.
The extra point I picked up off your design was cutting little holes around the inlet which I will give it a try.
Makes life a lot easier, huh? :) Thanks for the comment!
Thanks for the video, I followed recommendations and made my own, overall it worked well but I had to make a few modifications. I can only reach the second floor gutters from an angel so instead of two 90 degree elbows I joined a 45 degree and a 90 degree to make a 135 degree, that I think worked better than the 180 degree even for my first floor gutters, because when I switched from suction mode to blow mode, standing right below the gutter was a very bad idea. The extension from the shop vac fits but I had to hold it in a weird way because the connected pipe was moving around inside the extension, I drilled a small hole and used a small screw to stabilize the pipe inside the extension, that worked much better. 2 inch pipes are a bit small for large leaves, but there is no other feasible options so I can cope with that. I appreciate you taking the time and making the videos, both videos are very helpful. I had stopped climbing the ladders ever since one of my friends fell from the ladder when cleaning the gutter and killed himself a few years ago, your videos provided a solution to my problem, it is much appreciated.
Dang, that's a shame the fall killed your friend, I'm sorry to hear that. I've never used this attachment to blow out my gutters, but it makes sense that you wouldn't want to be standing directly beneath. :) Those sound like excellent solutions for anyone else experiencing the same problem. Thanks for the comment!
My OCD will not allow me to get past the window not being aligned into the roof gable lol. Crazy nice looking place tho, and great work on the gutter vacuum, I'm going to make my own thanks to you!
Hahaha, I know, that windows bugs me too! :) Thanks for watching!
Good job
Thanks for watching!
Very cool idea, Id like to add a 1/4" line and add a sprayer with valve at bottom to add water to it, for those hard to remove gutter clogs.
That's a good idea but you might not need it. I've found that the end of the pipe, with the notches cut out, does a good job of scraping the bottom of the gutter and freeing up any stuck debris.
My house is 38 feet in the back. I used sch. 40. I am over 70. Yes it is a little heavy but it has worked well for the last few seasons. So use sch 40 if the sch 20 is not available. Walking and sliding on the roof will damage the roof and cut the life span of the roof drastically. By the way I used a 40 foot ladder for many years to clean the gutters and using sch 40 pipe is much easier than the ladder.. Thanks
Yeah, I used a ladder before building this attachment and it was a pain. The central vacuum tubing is readily available at the local electrical supply store.
Oddly enough I built an almost exact system when we moved this past August. I prefer your build, though so I'll be updating mine next spring. The main plus for me was getting to the second storey without going up on a ladder. I'm not fond of heights, so I'd prefer not to go that route if I can avoid it.
Like you, we get a lot of pine needles in addition to leaves and I did find that they sometimes get caught at the mouth of the shop vac tube when running tests on the ground, so I opted to hook mine to my blower and just blow them off. True, it does make more mess, but I simply do this step first before tidying up the leaves and needles at ground level.
My biggest complaint about my solution is the weight. Like you, I used central vac tubing because of it's light wight, but when I add in the weight of the leaf blower itself, it makes my solution much heavier than I would like and my arms tire very quickly. In the spring, I am going to try hooking my updated and improved system to my shop vac instead and see how that works.
The home that we purchased has gutter guards, but they were severely matted down with needles, leaves and fine debris from the oak trees. So much so that even the blower had some difficulty clearing things away. The best option for me was blasting it clear with the hose. However, once that initial cleaning with the hose was done, the blower system worked great for keeping things clear. My hope is that if I blow the gutters once in the spring, once in the summer, and a couple times in the fall, I should be able to keep everything clear.
I suspect that the previous home owner didn't clean the gutters much, if at all which made our initial cleaning more difficult that it would have otherwise been. I believe in preventative maintenance, so I'll be staying on top of it.
Thanks for posting the videos, I will definitely be fine-tuning my system next spring based on your build.
I'm not fond of heights either, that's what got me thinking about creating this attachment. Yeah, that first cleaning is always the worst. Since the pine needles fall year-round, I clean my gutters with this attachment twice per year. That frequency prevents the gutters from getting too bad, so the job goes quick and easy. I made a follow up video 3+ years later with more detail. Check it out if you think it might be helpful. Thanks for the comment!
@@Mikeattempts this comment is in the follow up video. 😆 I watched them both.
@@billbowman8747 Hahahaha, sorry, it's Fall and I've been getting a lot of comments on the first video. I should have paid better attention. :)
Nice video
Thanks for watching!
Awesome!!!!
Thanks for watching! :)
I would put 1 or 2 1/2” screws for that mid section just to keep from coming off. And easy to take apart
I like that it's slip fit and toolless. It never comes apart on accident. Thanks for watching!
This is fantastic. Only thing is I'm like Homer Simpson and would not be able to build that kit. I need to be able to buy the full kit so that I just need to attach it to the vacuum. Great, video!
Did you watch the first video? It covers the build, which is very simple. They sell commercial kits for 2 story houses but they're kinda pricey. Home Depot sells a single-story kit for only $30. Thanks for the comment!
I like it!
Thanks for watching!
I was up on the roof in the rain, 2 stories up. The gutters completely clogged.... Thinking to myself there has to be a better way. Thank you, works great.
Besides paying someone else to do it, this is the easiest way I found to keep my gutters clean. :) Thanks for the comment!
How long does it take do average 1 story houses with it
@@kohenblrrr4901 Depends on how big the house is and if you have the gutter hangers inside the gutter. On average, I'd guess maybe 30 minutes.
@@Mikeattempts how often do you have to deal with the hose or poles clogging up on you? And is it able to remove that thick muddy shingle grit?
@@kohenblrrr4901 I've never had it clog completely. Every once in a while, a chunk of matted long-leaf pine needles will get stuck at the opening but will quickly clear itself as it gets bounced around in the gutter. It seems to suck up shingle grit just fine. However, since the pine needles fall year-round, I clean my gutters every 6 months now that I use the gutter vac attachment. Because of that, my gutters are never full.
Hi Mike, this is great to watch and very informative. Does this set up suck up heavy/wet dirt sit in gutters?
Yep, my gutters haven't had anything it them that it hasn't been able to suck up. Thanks for watching!
That 5.0 HP Rigid vac is $100 at Home Depot now. Its no longer $50. The Rigid gutter cleaning tool is still $30 at least that part didnt go up. They also state you can add more interlocking Rigid tubes to the gutter tool to reach the second story.
Dang, I can't believe the Ridgid 5 HP vacuum doubled in price since 2018! Yeah, you can add more tubes for second story gutters, but I doubt it would be cheaper or lighter than making it from central vacuum tubing. However, if you don't wanna make your own, it's a good alternative.
I have a store bought version of what you have and it doesn't work for me really. I can see it being useful if you have trees nearby, but I don't and the main thing that clogs my gutters is moss.
I had to make a scraper attachment for my tool so that the hose can scrape and suck up debris at the same time and I would say it is 95% effective. Every few years I do go up and give them a thorough cleaning and a spray down with silicone lubricants to keep the surface slippery and as unfriendly as I can for moss.
Last year my son came along with his drone and gave me a birdseye view and it made life so much easier, if you have one use it, but I wouldn't go and buy one just for this task.
It actually sounds like you have a good system in place to deal with your moss as easy as possible.
@@Mikeattempts No really, my roof gets a healthy coverage of moss through the darker months, I really should get up and treat the problem to limit the moss growth and then I ouldn't have the gutter issues so much.
Really like this and the previous vid you did. Great job!!! I've always used a blower from the rooftop, and then cleaned the ground, but my rooftop days are over, so I'm looking for another solution and agree with you that pressure washers are messy, and unwieldy given the pressure. Light weight is the key. Prior to your vid I was thinking about an air compressor solution, using an light extendable pole and a light air hose, but I see potential issues with that far as forces & how to trigger it, so maybe in the end your solution is best.
Couple questions:
- Do you have much issues with clogging? Where I live its pretty wet in the fall & winter, so my gutters are a mix or leaves, water & sludge
- Any issues with branches or twigs?
- I'd need to buy a shop vac for this, you mentioned a couple but if you had to purchase another one which exact one would you go for?
- You mentioned swapping the hose port to blow instead of suck. Have you tried that? If so how well did it work as opposed to sucking?
Again great vid & Thanks!
Thanks for the comment, I appreciate the kind words!
1.) I don't really have issues with clogging. Every once in a while, I'll encounter a clump of pine needles that have become matted together but the continuous movement of the attachment breaks 'em up enough to get sucked up. If you have a lot of larger leaves (like oak), you might have more issues with clogging. I would assume cleaning the gutters when the leaves were slightly damp might be an advantage because they would bend easier than ones that were dry and stiff. I would just make a small pile of the same types of leaves that end up in your gutter and see if you have any issues just sucking them up from a pile on the ground. If you experience clogging, you could connect the hose to the exhaust port on the vac and blow out all of the big leaves in the gutter and then switch the hose back to suck out the shingle grit and smaller leaves. Now that I have the attachment, I clean my gutters twice per year because the pine needles fall year-round. This makes gutter cleaning easier because there's less debris to remove. The wet/dry vac does well with the shingle grit and decaying leaf sludge.
2.) I don't have any issue with branches or twigs because anything that makes it into the gutter is usually small enough to get sucked up.
3.) I have a Ridgid 5HP wet/dry vac from Home Depot. It was only around $50 and does a great job but, if I had to buy a new one, I'd probably go ahead and get the Ridgid 6.5HP model.
4.) I've attached my vacuum hose to the exhaust port and used it as a blower but not with the gutter vac attachment. I haven't had the need since vacuuming seems to get mostly everything. I assume it would work just fine but I haven't personally tried it.
Thanks for watching!
I thought about the air compressor also, triggering can be done with a ball valve at ground level.
Great project!!! I checked several HDs around here and it seems they no longer carry the ABS. Is there anything else that can be used in its place? Thanks
Other 2" pipes might work but the great thing about ABS is that it's much lighter than schedule 40 PVC. I got my ABS pipe on homedepot.com but it's also available on Amazon ( amzn.to/3bM9GYp ). The cheapest ABS option would be to pick one up at your local plumbing supply store. Another option would be to use a central vacuum tubing coupler (Nutone part number 388) and PVC glue.
Oh, your comment about gutter guards is not only well received, but I purchased that expensive product at our old house and you encounter an entirely new problem. The gutter guard top and leading edge especially become black stained with mold and those new white gutters become an eye sore. Either clean your normal gutters or get up and clean the mold off each year-pick your poison. I tried power washing the mold off, and that works but after a season or two your white powder coated gutters will have no white paint. There is just no free lunch. I think your vacuum solution is the best choice.
Yep, if there was such a thing as maintenance-free gutters, everyone would have 'em. I never even considered the mold aspect, but it makes sense.
Thank you for making these vids! Such.a simple smart design - I am going to make one. A question for you first: I have seen some other youtubers do something similar, but using one 45 and one 90 degree bend so they can stand farther from their house. (They cut the end piece at an angle so it can reach the bottom of the gutter). After using yours, with 2 90 degree angles, for a few years, do you have any thoughts on advantages/disadvantages of these two designs?
I think the only pro to using a 45 elbow is, like you said, being able to stand further from the house. The cons: 1.) The further you stand from the house, the longer the pipe needs to be to reach the same height. 2.) Controlling the movement of the attachment is easiest when you're directly beneath it. When held at an angle, it would take more effort to maneuver the tip. I have some large bushes out front, and I have no problem cleaning those gutters while standing a few feet away from the house. The best thing would be to buy two 90s and a 45 then dry fit the elbow closest to the end. Then you can swap 'em to see which you prefer before gluing.
thanks, I was thinking about this DIY for awhile and found your video. Question: my gutter is 30-35ft high, do you think my 4.25 HP shopvac powerful enough?
My vac is 5 HP and it seems to have plenty of suction so 4.25 HP would probably be enough. Let me know how it goes!
Great Diy cleaner! Impressive. Just a question. Is the gutter able to hold the full weight of this pipe cleaner?
Oh yeah, no problem, the whole attachment weighs less than 4.7 pounds.
Do you have the link to the single story kit from home depot as you mentioned towards the end of the video?
Yep, here ya go: www.homedepot.com/p/203235222
Nice
Thanks for watching!
Hi Mike I loved your video. I want to start a gutter-cleaning business and use your invention. I was wondering what kind of camera attachment you used to video the gutters as you are cleaning. I would like to see the work in progress and to show the customers a before and after.
Many viewers have said they attached a GoPro to their attachments and then they could watch it live on their cell phone GoPro app. I just taped a cell phone on the attachment to get the shots, I couldn't see what was happening in real-time but it's easy to "feel" if you got everything. I can see why the camera would be helpful for the customers to see before and after though.
@@Mikeattempts Hi Mike many thanks for the reply. I was also wondering if you were happy with the 5 hp or would you suggest 6 or 6.5 hp
@@billblack8774 I have never felt a lack of power with the 5 HP. However, if I needed a new one and there wasn't much cost difference, I'd go with the 6 or 6.5 HP.
🏆
Thanks for watching! :)
What shop vac do you use? I have a ridgid with 2-1/2" hose, and the hose and extension tubes have about a 2" ID but not exact it seems. I have to special order the vacuum tubing and want to make sure it fits the ridgid hoses etc. since ridgid has been using the same ones for a long time.
And 5 seconds after I type this you show your shop vac. LOL Thanks for the idea. Going to do it myself cause it scares the hell out of me to get on the roof 2 stories up.
Hahaha, glad you kept watching. ;) Check your local electrical supply store, they should be able to get the tubing for a great price.
Great video and design. Somehow I think I am going to need two elbow sets (one with 90s and one with 45s) because some of my 2nd story gutters are not directly above the ground but instead above my porch roof or the garage roof, the latter extending from the front of the house. To reach those gutters, the elbow would need to enter the gutter at an angle (and I'd need to hold the pipe at an angle as well).
I think/hope a third shorter PVC section with a second ABS pipe to hold swappable elbows on top of the two main PVCs with the ABS connector should do it. I'll let you know if. that works.
Also my shop vac hose is made for smaller diameter attachments, but it looks as if it will take a 2.5" hose. Hoping that works out as well.
Sounds like a solid plan with the swapable elbows, let me know how it goes!
And I guess the other discovery I made is that we shouldn't ask for "schedule 20" at Home Depot but instead asked for "central vacuum pipe" since the former is no longer used in plumbing and schedule 40 is to thick for vacuums.
Correct, you only want "central vacuum tubing" (not pipe). My local Home Depot didn't carry the tubing, but I was able to find it for cheap at my local electrical supply store.
Found the central vacuum tubing at a local plumbing and electrical store, but it seemed to have a millimeter or so of play inside a 2 inch pipe, but maybe that will be OK. I may also just start with the one story version to get a feel for the system and then come back for the ABS and addition vac tube. The other nice thing about the plumbing store compared to Lowe's is that there are lots of choices for the length on the ABS without too big a hit on the $/ft.
Regarding the 1.5" attachment end on my Shop Vac, it occurs to me that I ought to be able to use a reducing coupler to connect the vac hose and the tube rather than getting a new hose (that might not even work) and thus save about $30. More updates to come.
@@andersmartinson1750 That's great, I'm glad you were able to find the central vacuum tubing! I honestly don't know if your 1.5" shop vac hose will handle it just fine or if you'll need the larger hose. As long as it's powerful enough, the only potential issue I see is that the reducer could create a choke point and cause a blockage.
Great video, but that large window on the side of your house that isn’t centered with that peak is driving me nuts. What builder would design that?
Hahaha, I know! That's the master bathroom and, from the inside, the window is centered over the bathtub but not at all centered from the outside. I just try not to look at it. ;)
I live in the Boston area, no one around here carries central vac pipes only schedule 40. Any ideas???
Someone's gotta have 'em. I got mine from my local electrical supply store. Others have said they got theirs from plumbing supply stores, their local Home Depot, and some people even said they have local companies that install central vacuums that will sell the tubing. Every place you call that doesn't have it, ask if they know who would.
Great design. How did you mount the camera to show us how well this thing cleans while in action?
Thanks,
Doug
I just taped the camera up on the attachment to get the shot for this video. I don't actually use the camera while I clean my gutters.
Thank you! Is the tubing link for amazon still good? It says $42 per piece, and the HomeDepot link appears to no longer be valid
Thanks for letting me know about the link. If you order the central vacuum tubing online, you're going to pay a lot more than if you purchased locally. If you follow my advice in the video, you shouldn't have much trouble finding some.
Think a Ryobi wet vac will work fine? Looks like it uses 1 7/8 inch tubing.
I'm not sure, I would think you might need more HP and a larger hose to avoid clogs.
My shopvac uses a 1-7/8 hose. Is there some kind of adapter
I'm sure there's an adapter but then you'd have a bit of a chokepoint. You could give it a shot, it might not be an issue. However, I would assume the vacuums that use the standard 2.5" hose are more powerful.
Seems we don't have powerful (eg. 5 hp) wet/dry vac in Australia, most 2000w (2.5 hp), how do you know what minimum power vac will work, my house is single storey & I can stand on top of the ladder, but prefer not climbing up the roof.
I'm not sure what the minimum power required would be, but it would be less for a 1 story house than a 2 story. However, the vacuum HP ratings (at least in the US) are odd. I'm not sure how they're come to the conclusion but there's no way my vacuum has a 5 HP motor in it, that would be huge. Anyway, what I'm saying is that maybe your 2.5 HP option is legitimately 2.5 HP and is actually more powerful than my "5 HP" vac. Also, since your house is single story, you might be able to find something like this locally: www.homedepot.com/p/203235222
Mike. I used your links for the vacuum pipe and abs pipe. Called home depot and unfortunately the pipes are not carried by homedepot any longer. The 90 is but not pipes.
Yeah, some still carry them, and some don't. I had to get mine from my local electrical supply store.
@Mikeattempts ok great ill look there. Thank you
how does this work with leaves? i have a huge old oak tree, and the predominance of my gutter fill is very big oak leaves. will they clog the tubes?
My gutters usually fill with small to medium sized leaves and a ton of long-leaf pine needles so I'm not sure how it'd handle big oak leaves. I would think it'd do alright if the leaves were slightly damp and still flexible vs dry and stiff. You could make a little pile on the ground and just see if your vacuum hose clogs up. Or you could attach the vacuum hose to the exhaust port and blow out the big stuff before vacuuming out the smaller stuff.
@@Mikeattempts thanks for the reply and input! will have to try it. all brand new gutters (hurricane ida made sure of that this year UGH) so i'm starting fresh. i can reach my back gutter from my deck, but my front is a 2 story and i HATE ladders, so this is a great option!!
@@b.johnston3773 Let me know how it goes!
I cantnt seem to locate any central vacuum tubing in the UK has anyone in UK managed to make this work?
Have you tried calling your local electrical supply companies?
Is the black ABS pipe different than the extension pipe that comes with a vacuum cleaner?
Yes, the ABS pipe is different than the vac extension pipes. The ones that come with the vacuum have a larger diameter on one end and smaller on the other.
Did you attach a go pro to the end of this? Would be great to monitor as you clean
I just attached a camera to get the shot for the video. You could mount a GoPro and watch it as you clean but then it becomes a two person job. I have found that I'm able to be plenty thorough without a camera. Thanks for watching!
Any thoughts on whether pvc conduit (for electrical work) is thinner or thicker than central vacuum tubing? I am unable to find a local supplier that sells small amount of central vacuum tubing :(
Central vacuum tubing is the thinnest you'll find and keeping the attachment light weight is key to making it usable. I got mine from my local electrical supply store so I'm sure if you call around a bit more, you'll find a place that will sell it by the piece.
@@Mikeattempts Appreciate it. I will keep looking instead of settling for pvc electrical conduits.
can u add a link to the Home Depot item u mentioned or state the name of it.
The single story gutter cleaning kit I mentioned is called the Ridgid Gutter Cleaning Accessory Kit: www.homedepot.com/p/203235222
Good Morning, how did you mount a camera onto your setup?
Mornin', I just used some electrical tape to mount the camera and get the shot for this video. I don't use a camera to help me clean, but you could certainly do that if you thought it would be helpful.
This is a great video. We live in the PNW. Where are you located?
Thanks! We live in the south and have a lot of long-left pines around our house. Since the pine needles fall year-round, I use this attachment to clean my gutter twice per year.
I slowed it down and saw you had a wasp 🐝 at 4:50 :)
Hahaha, yeah, he was just hangin' out. :)
Hi Mike, will this get a clog in the downspout?
It should clear a clog at the top of the downspout but not one further down the spout.
I made $173,656 with this machine in my gutter cleaning business
Really?!? That's awesome!
How much do you charge to clean someone's house gutters?
Very safe as well to do this. This should be an industry standard. Love it
@@Jeff-vj3jp$173.656. Not many repeat customers though 😢
And 47 cents.
great videos! I'm planning to make soon. You mention 2" central vac tubing and 2" ABS pipe. Yet your shop vac hose is 2.5". How do you connect them?
ps- I made a blower version a few years back with gas leaf blower, flexible downspout connector and 4" Sch 40. It was such a heavy beast for even a ranch house, I would up cannibalizing the Sch 40 for another project. Good riddance!
Yes, the vac hose is 2.5" but those short black extensions that come with wet/dry vacs are tapered. The bigger end goes over the hose and the 2" central vacuum tubing from gutter attachment slides right in and is a perfect fit. Check out 1:18 of the video again and you'll see what I'm talking about. Thanks for watching!
It looks you and many commenters as referring to pine needles. How does the vacuum work for large leaves (Oak).
I'm not sure, I only have smaller leaves and long-leaf pine needles. However, if you rake up a small pile of oak leaves and are able to suck 'em up with your wet/dry vac then I would assume you'd be able to suck 'em up with the attachment as well.
you need to patent it!
That'd be nice, huh? Thing is, there are aluminum ones for professional gutter cleaning so, if it is patentable, I assume someone already has a patent on it. That's ok though, I'm just happy knowing people are watching the video and building their own to make their lives easier. :) Thanks for watching!
Do you keep the filter inside the wet dry vac or remove filter?
I usually wait for at least a few dry days in a row before I clean my gutters so I leave the filter in the vacuum. If there's standing water in your gutters, I would remove it or swap it out for a "wet debris" filter. Also, if it's wet, I would recommend waiting if you can. If not, be sure to wash out the flexible vac hose or the "mud" will dry inside and make your hose heavy.
Does anyone know where I can find this lightweight tubing in the UK?
I'm not sure about the UK but I would assume you have electrical supply stores over there too. Anywhere that installs or sells parts for whole hose vacuums will have access to the central vacuum tubing.
How did you add the camera attachment?
I just taped it up there to get the shot for the video. You could add a camera mount but I've never felt the need to have a live view.
The main issue with this design seems to be finding Central Vacuum tubing AKA schedule 20 PVC. It is no longer used in homes due to coxe changes I believe. So most places stock schedule 40.
I wanted to get some more, and I could only find it online at a not ao great price unfortunately. But still not too much.
Are you sure they don't sell it anymore, whole house vacuums are no longer installed? I had to get mine from a local electrical supply company, but they had everything I needed for cheap.
@@Mikeattempts I believe they are using a schedule 40 in new installs.
I dunno exactly, but I contacted several suppliers in my area and no one has schedule 20. Home Depot doesn't even have it on their website anymore. (they have elbows, couplings, but no tubes).
I was even surprised when I emailed Broan Nutech who said they discontinued there central vacuum tubing. Not exactly sure if they meant all their products or just a schedule 20. They told me to contact drainvac who neve replied.
Something has changed in the industry in the last few years... Maybe fewer homes are using it too, and people just want to use a wand vacuum like the Dyson cordless ones.
My home has central vacuum tube installed, but the previous owner gutted the system so he could make space for shelves in the garage. 😂
@@funstuffonthenet5573 Yeah, you're right, it looks like Drainvac now owns the Broan-Nutone central vacuums. However, there are still local stores listed on Drainvac's "Find-a-Retailer" section so hopefully you can still get the same central vacuum tubing from the same electrical supply stores, just under a different name. Also, I don't know think schedule 20 and central vacuum tubing are the same (misspoke in my 1st video). I think they have similar wall thickness but schedule 20 is pipe while central vacuum tubing is tube, so they'd have different inside and outside diameters. When calling around, you'd need to specifically ask for "central vacuum tubing", not schedule 20 pipe. Thanks for the info!
@@Mikeattempts Interesting. There was a lot of confusion about schedule 20. I was going to bring some elbows and coupling with me to make sure they fit
@@funstuffonthenet5573 Well, let me know if you're able to find any and build yourself an attachment! :)
Mike I watched both videos and they are well done. Only problem I have is I can't find Sch 20 thin walled pipe anywhere around here in SE Pennsylvania. I am searching using the Nutone stock number, ASTM number and so forth and no luck. Anybody have any leads on East Coast? Thanx, Carl
Call your local electrical supply store and ask for central vacuum tubing. That's how I got mine.
@@Mikeattempts Got it Mike, thanx. Will do, Carl
Hey, what’s the link to your original video? You have a lot of videos. Maybe putting it in the comments would help.
Great video.
It's in the video description but here's the link to the first video: czcams.com/video/-cRUheSAXM4/video.html
Thanks for watching! :)
I'm thinking of using something like this to clean out my dryer vent.
Is the exhaust for your dryer up high? I have another video on how I clean my dryer vent, but your situation sounds like it might be different.
@@Mikeattempts Thanks, I checked out your dryer vid. Yeah, it's about 16ft up and a pretty long run from the dryer to the outside (18ft or so). I already cleaned from the inside, but I'm still getting a vent clogged (D80) warning on my LG dryer, so my assumption is there's still a bunch of lint at the exit vent. I might have an easier time reaching it from the rooftop deck (it's only about 6 ft down from there). So I'll try running the dryer to have the vent cover flaps open up, and see if I can get a vacuum nozzle inserted a few inches.
@@danheuser5148 Sounds like a solid plan, good luck! :)
@@Mikeattempts Thanks!
It wont suck up shingle grit?
It definitely sucks up shingle grit.
What are you using to film the gutter with. Would be nice to make sure it is completely clear while doing it.
I just used a cell phone to get the gutter shots.
What camera did you attach to your hose for you to watch yourself vacuum?
I just taped a cell phone on the end to get the shot. I couldn't actually see what was going on in the gutter while I was cleaning but you could do that with a GoPro, if you wanted.
Awesome video and I am sooo doing this! You think an 8ft and 10ft central vaccum tube will work well together? I think the two extra feet will help so I wouldn't need to hold my arms up as high. I have a two-story home and no idea how high. Also, how much should the 8ft central vacuum tube cost approximately so I have a point of reference, because Amazon currently has it listed for $24. Homedepot does not carry it and I haven't checked elsewhere yet. Thanks!
See if you can get a tape measure up to your highest section of gutter. Don't forget to subtract a few feet to account that you'll be holding it at around belly height. I paid $6 per section of 8' central vacuum tubing at my local electrical supply store in 2018. I wouldn't order it online unless you can't find it locally, the added cost is for shipping.
@@Mikeattempts It's about 19ft from 2nd story gutter to my waist so I think one 8ft and one 10ft tube will work best for me, if I can find it. I'll check out the local electrical supply store this week.
@@Jeff-vj3jp Yeah, you shouldn't have much trouble finding the tubing, just call around, someone will have it. :)
@@Mikeattempts You got me motivated now to do this lol. Instead of sawing to make the ring stopper, and tube for the two elbows, and end piece that goes into the gutter, do you think they sell these size tubes, wishful thinking I know. I'm trying to avoid sawing if I can.
@@Jeff-vj3jp I mentioned in the video that you could cut two stops off of the section of black ABS pipe. I only cut the coupler in half to use as stops because I had already bought it. The same place you get the tubing should have the elbows too. I used a miter box and a hacksaw to cut the tubing, but it doesn't need to be that precise, you could just use a hacksaw ($10 at your local hardware store). You'll only need to make 4 cuts, it's easy.
Would this work on wet material?
If you use a strong wet/dry vacuum then yes, it does work with wet debris. However, shingle grit and sludge from decomposing leaves will stick to the inside of the flexible vacuum hose and make it heavier. I only experienced this one time because I usually wait until there have been at least a few dry days in a row before cleaning my gutters. When I was done, I had to remove the hose from the vacuum and clean it out really well with my garden hose.
Can 4 hp do the trick for a 2 story house ?
I'm not sure, I don't have experience with anything other than my 5 HP vacuum. If you end up trying it with a 4 HP vac, let me know how well it works.
Do you happen to have a solution for getting rid of moss safely and affordability from ground level?
No, but that's a great idea for a future video! :)
@@Mikeattempts Awesome, looking forward to it. I think if we can somehow accurately spray the Zinc powder on the ridge... then we'll be in victory town.
@@funstuffonthenet5573 I have been looking at a Soft Wash system to remove moss and other organic materials from the roof.
@@Gamer-kd9ou Yeah! Me too. I got one of those mixer sprayers. Where you can put a solution in it and hook it up to your hose. (They are normally used for spraying fertilizer on your lawn. And they also make them for car washing). There is a formula where you can mix it with bleach and dish soap and that is supposed to help kill the moss after a few treatments. I am going to try it soon when the weather warms up. My only concern is that some paints can fail when diluted bleach splashes onto them touches them. So I need to call the paint company and ask.
I also have a Mr. Longarm to scrub the roof a bit from ground level. This works well on the slanted roof on my first floor. Which is where I had the major problem. Use longarm to get the big pieces off then apply the solution with the sprayer.
@@funstuffonthenet5573 Based on what I have seen on CZcams, as long as you wet down your plants sufficiently beforehand, the bleach shouldn't damage your plants. However, if you have delicate plants, there are multiple chemicals that can neutralize bleach (search 'Neutralize Bleach').
A roof needs a strong bleach mixture (around 5-6%) to clean well. It requires a near 1:1 ratio of bleach and water (store/pool bleach comes in 6%, 10%, and 12.5% bleach concentration). Do you know if the mixer sprayers support a 1:1 ratio? X-Jet at 2GPM pressure washer supports a 0.8:1 ratio. It's an alternative to soft wash.
That's cool. I need to buy a Mr. Longarm!
Having a hardhat would be nice just in case it falls directly down onto you
Sure, if that makes you feel better, go for it! :)
What camera are you using?
Just a cell phone taped to the attachment to get the shot, it's not a live view.
Can't find Central Vacuum PVC Tubings in a 100 mile radius around me :(
Did you call your local electrical supply store? Even if they don't have it, they should be able to get it or to tell you where to get it. You can order it online, but it'll cost more.
@@Mikeattempts I'll give that a try. Thank you!
genius
Thanks for watching! :)