Gutter cleaning

Clean gutters twice a year on a treed lot, once on an open one. Standing water after rain means the pitch or the outlet is the problem, not debris. And the downspouts matter as much as the trough.

Quick answerClean gutters twice a year on a treed lot, typically once after the leaves drop and once in spring, and once a year on an open lot. If water still stands in the gutter after rain once it’s clean, the pitch or the outlet is the problem, not debris. Extend downspouts at least four feet from the foundation while you’re at it.

A gutter only works if water can reach the downspout and leave the house. Leaves, seed pods, roof granules and silt build up into a wet mat that blocks outlets, adds weight to the hangers, and sends water over the front edge or behind the gutter onto the fascia.

Gutters along a roof edge with debris collected in them, against a blue sky — Debris collects fastest near trees and at the outlets. Photo by Aleksi Partanen on Unsplash.

1How often to clean

Your lot	How often
Trees overhanging or near the roof	Twice a year, after the main leaf drop and again in spring. More if pine needles or seed pods fall year-round.
Open lot, no trees nearby	Once a year, plus a look after any big storm.
Gutter guards installed	Still check them. Guards cut down cleaning, but none are maintenance-free.

A quick test: watch the gutters during a steady rain. Water spilling over the front edge, dripping behind the gutter, or barely coming out of a downspout tells you it’s time, or that something else is wrong.

2When it isn’t debris

Cleaning fixes clogs. It doesn’t fix a gutter that’s too small, pitched the wrong way, or hung loose. If the problem comes back right after a cleaning, look here instead:

Standing water in a clean gutter. The run has lost its slope toward the outlet, or the outlet itself is undersized or partly blocked. See standing water in the gutter after rain.
Overflow in heavy rain only. Usually too small a gutter or too few downspouts for the roof area. See water spilling over the front edge in heavy rain.
A sagging run. Wet debris is heavy, and it works hangers loose. See gutter pulling away from the fascia.
Streaks on the siding. Water is getting over or behind the gutter. See staining on the siding below the gutter.

3How a cleaning should go

Set up the ladder properlyFirm, level ground, a stabilizer that bears on the wall rather than the gutter, and someone on the ground to steady it.
Scoop, don’t pushClear debris by hand or with a scoop, working away from the downspout so you don’t pack it into the outlet.
Clear the outlet and downspoutPull debris out of the outlet, then run a hose down the downspout. If water backs up, the clog is inside the downspout or at an elbow.
Flush the runRun water from the far end and watch it travel to the outlet. Puddles that stay put point to a pitch problem.
Check where the water goesEach downspout should discharge at least four feet from the foundation, onto ground that slopes away. See downspout discharging at the foundation.

Ladder safety

Falls from ladders are among the most common serious home-maintenance injuries. Above single-storey, or on soft ground, this is not a job to improvise. Never lean the ladder on the gutter, and don’t do it alone. See cleaning from a ladder alone.

4Do it yourself or hire it out

Do it yourself

Single-storey eaves on firm, level ground
You have a sound ladder, a stabilizer and a helper
Gutters are attached tightly and not sagging
You can reach every outlet without leaning out

Hire a pro

Second-storey eaves, steep slopes or soft ground
Gutters are loose, bent or pulling away
Water still stands after a cleaning
You’d rather have the hangers, seams and downspouts checked at the same time

The cheapest fix on the house

Extend downspouts at least four feet from the foundation. It is the cheapest thing you can do for a foundation, and it is very commonly wrong.

5What drives the cost

Cleaning prices move with the total length of gutter, the height of the eaves, the roof pitch, how much debris has built up, the number of downspouts that need clearing, and whether guards have to be removed and refitted. Ask whether the price includes flushing the downspouts and checking the hangers, so you’re comparing like with like.

Gutters cost Gutter guards sold as maintenance-free

Two storeys up, or the gutters keep overflowing?

Talk to a local gutter contractor who will clean the run, flush the downspouts and tell you if the pitch or hangers need work.

877-360-4657

6Questions

What time of year should I clean my gutters?

On a treed lot, after most of the leaves have dropped and again in spring. On an open lot, once a year is usually enough. Check after any big storm either way.

My gutters are clean but still hold water. Why?

The pitch or the outlet is the problem, not debris. The run may have sagged or been hung too flat. See standing water in the gutter after rain.

Do gutter guards mean I never have to clean?

No. They can cut down cleaning under heavy tree cover, but none are maintenance-free, and some reduce capacity in a downpour.

Should I clean gutters in winter?

Not from an icy ladder. If ice has bent hangers or torn sections loose, see ice damage from a winter storm and have it looked at once conditions are safe.

Written by Jaylan Jones. I Like To Exterior Services earns a referral fee when a call connects to a contractor. See our business-model disclosure.

877-360-4657

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