Ladder fall inspires gutter sucker

Two years ago, Blenheim man Pete Halligan fell from a ladder while cleaning his gutters and was lucky to walk away unscathed, but he was not going to let it happen again.

Halligan's fall triggered him to start up a safe gutter cleaning business - Gutter Sucker NZ.

Halligan employed contract worker Dean Marshall three months ago when the business started and hopes to launch a website next week.

Marshall works from the ground using an industrial vacuum cleaner to get leaves and muck out of gutters, Halligan said.

People normally cleaned their gutters by standing on a ladder and holding on to the side or climbing onto the roof, he said.

"The opportunity for people falling off is huge . . . I thought there has got to be an easier way."

So he started looking at alternatives. The idea originally stemmed from his accident though, Halligan said.

"I went up the ladder and dug my fingers in and put (the leaves) in a bucket that I had hanging on the ladder and I was leaning out to get the last bit and I came down.

"I didn't get hurt but I was shocked. But then I went up again 10 minutes later and fell down again."

He was happy to be able to offer a service that was safe for the homeowner and his contractor, Halligan said.

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Ladder fall inspires gutter sucker