How Often Should You Clean Your Gutters?
Keep leaf build-up and seasonal debris at bay with routine gutter-cleaning
When all of those beautiful autumn leaves start to fall, they can quickly accumulate in your gutters and cause build-ups and overflow. Regularly cleaning your gutters lets you get ahead of the changing seasons and protect your home from water damage, rot, and decay. How often and when to do it can depend on a lot of factors from the type and condition of your gutters to the kinds of trees near your roof.
Why You Should Clean Your Gutters
Cleaning your gutters is certainly no one’s favorite chore, but preventing decay and damage to your home’s exterior is essential. Loose or broken gutters, or those clogged with debris, can allow water, dirt, mold, mildew, and algae to penetrate your roof, exterior walls, and even your home’s foundation. In addition, unclean gutters can lead to animals nesting within them or pest infestations.
Clogged gutters are not only unsightly. They can also put you on the hook for thousands of dollars in repair costs, including the potential replacement of your entire gutter system, which costs around $1,900 on average.
How Often You Should Clean Your Gutters
How often you should clean your gutters depends on the following factors:
Condition of your gutters
Whether you have a good gutter protection system (gutter screens or guards)
Trees and foliage near your roof
Seasonal weather cycles
In general, you should plan to clean your gutters at least once or twice a year. But if you have lots of tall trees near your roof, you’re going to need to tackle the job more often.
For example, if you have oak trees overhanging your roof, then you’ll need to clean your gutters at least twice a year—and don’t forget the downspouts. And if you have pine trees, then you’re going to want to up that routine to a quarterly cleaning, as pine trees are veritable needle-shedding machines.
On the other hand, if you have a gutter protection system, especially micromesh gutter guards or screens, then you can probably get away with cleaning your gutters once every 1 to 2 years. However, regular maintenance is necessary to keep your gutter guard system effective. Luckily, gutter guards are much easier to clean by yourself with minimum to zero costs since most systems only require surface cleaning. You should also look through the gutter guards to catch debris buildups during the early stages.
When You Should Clean Your Gutters
If you’re opting for a twice-yearly cleaning, your best bet is to do it in spring and early fall. Fall and winter can be especially hard on your gutters, as those lovely autumn leaves have a nasty habit of accumulating. Compounded with winter snow and ice, and you can have quite a mess on your hands.
Tackling the job during autumn will ensure your gutters are ready for all that fall and winter can dish out. When spring arrives, clearing away accumulation from months of falling leaves, snow, and ice prepares your system for spring rains and summer storms.
Signs That It's Time for a Clean-Out
Deciding when and how often to clean your gutters isn’t difficult if you know what to look for. Here are some tell-tale signs it’s time for a gutter clean-out:
Your gutters are overflowing
You notice signs of leaking on your roof, siding, yard, or pavement
Your guttering is broken, or sections have pulled away from the roofing or exterior walls
Water does not flow readily from the downspouts when it rains or snows
You notice debris build-up in the guttering
DIY vs. Professional Gutter-Cleaning
Though it’s not exactly an easy task, you’ll definitely earn your weekend warrior cred. Many homeowners choose to clean their gutters themselves as long as they’re comfortable working on a sturdy ladder.
If you have a multi-story home or gutter guards, you may want to consider leaving the job to the professionals. The cost to hire a gutter cleaning company is around $159 on average, but those rates can increase if your gutters are damaged or it’s been a while since the last cleaning. If you have a multi-story home, you can expect to pay anywhere from $100 to as much as $425 per 200 square feet.
Frequently Asked Questions
While there is no definitive rule on this practice, you are not expected to tip your gutter cleaners. However, ask their policy and feel free to do so to show appreciation for a job well done.
It is not recommended to clean gutters, or do any work on your roof for that matter, without the use of a ladder. Please make sure you have a spotter and avoid slippery surfaces when performing this task.
It’s recommended that you clean your gutters after a severe storm, however, regular storms don’t raise the same concerns. Look for signs your gutter might need cleaning after a harsh storm. Do you see broken branches and excessive leaves all over your yard? Chances are your gutters caught quite some debris. Also, ensure a few drying days before cleaning your gutters. Dry debris is much easier to clean.
You can use a pressure washer to clean your gutters. It’s an effective and cost-friendly way to DIY gutter cleaning. Use a low-pressure nozzle between 1,200 to 1,500 pounds PSI to loosen the debris, then apply detergents. Excessive pressure can damage your gutters and the delicate parts of your roof. We recommend hiring a licensed and insured contractor to do the pressure washing.