How Often Should You Clean Your Gutters, and What Does It Cost?

If you have gutters, clean them at least twice a year, usually late fall after the leaves drop and again in spring, and more often if tall trees hang over the roof. A pro typically charges about $100-$300 for a one-story home and more for two stories, which is far less than the fascia, siding, and foundation damage that overflowing gutters cause.

How often to clean them

• Few or no trees nearby. Once or twice a year is usually enough. Late fall is the most important cleaning.

• Deciduous trees over the roof. Twice a year at minimum: late fall after the leaves drop, and spring after seeds and flowers fall.

• Pine trees nearby. Needles fall year round and pack into dense mats. Three or four times a year may be needed.

• After big storms. High winds strip leaves and twigs early. Check the gutters and downspouts after the storm passes.

The best schedule is the one your gutters tell you. If water spills over the edge during a normal rain, or you see plants growing in the gutter, they are overdue.

What skipping it causes

Clogged gutters do not fail all at once. They overflow a little in every storm, and the water lands in places that are expensive to fix.

• Fascia and soffit rot. Water spills behind the gutter and soaks the trim boards it is nailed to.
• Foundation and basement water. Overflow dumps right next to the house, which can lead to wet basements and crawl spaces, and over time can contribute to foundation cracks.
• Roof edge leaks. In heavy rain or with ice, water backs up under the first row of shingles. See roof leak repair costs.
• Siding damage. Water sheeting down the wall stains siding and gets behind it.
• Sagging gutters. Wet leaves are heavy, and in freeze climates that weight turns to ice that pulls gutters off the house.
• Pests. Standing water breeds mosquitoes, and damp debris attracts insects and nesting animals.
• Erosion. Waterfalls off the roof dig trenches in beds and wash out landscaping.

How to clean them safely yourself

Most falls during home maintenance happen from ladders. If your home is one story and the ground is level, gutter cleaning is a reasonable DIY job. If it is two stories, the roof is steep, or you are not steady on a ladder, hire it.

1. Set the ladder on firm, level ground, and use a ladder stabilizer so it does not rest on the gutter itself. Have someone hold the base.
2. Start at a downspout and scoop debris toward you into a bucket hooked to the ladder. Move the ladder often rather than reaching.
3. Flush with a hose once the gutter is clear, starting at the far end from the downspout.
4. Check each downspout. If water backs up, push a hose up from the bottom or use a plumber snake from the top.
5. Confirm where the water lands. It should exit at least several feet from the foundation. Add an extension if it does not.

Are gutter guards worth it?

Gutter guards can cut cleaning from several times a year to once every year or two, which is most valuable on tall homes where every cleaning is a hired job. They do not end maintenance. Fine debris, pine needles, and seed pods still collect on top of or inside many guards, and some designs overflow in very heavy rain. Basic screens are cheap and a modest improvement. Professional systems cost much more, so compare the price to several years of cleanings before deciding.