Cleaning your gutters is a simple, but effective way to protect your home, roof, and gutters from damage. It’s recommended that you clean your gutters twice a year, but that could vary if you have trees very close to your roof, or if you have gutter guards. 

What is the Best Time of the Year to Clean Gutters?

Spring and fall are considered the best time to clean your gutters. In the fall, removing leaves and debris also helps to prevent ice damming. In the spring, blossoming trees drop flowers and other debris that can seriously clog your gutters. 

How Do You Know It’s Time To Clean Your Gutters?

Here are some signs that it’s time to clean your gutters, but ideally, you want to be proactive and clean your gutters before they get overclogged.

How Do You Clean Your Gutters?

Cleaning your gutters is a fairly simple process, assuming that you don’t mind being up on a ladder.  You’ll need a sturdy ladder, work gloves, a bucket or trash bag, a gutter scoop or garden trowel, and optionally, a hose or pressure washer to clean out any fine debris. To be safe, you might want to wear a pair of safety goggles.

Pick a dry day so that you aren’t dealing with safety issues on your ladder. Like mowing grass, dry debris is easier to handle than wet debris, so consider waiting until it’s been dry for a day or two. 

Steps to Clean Your Gutters

Start from the downspout and work backward, scooping out the leaves with either your hands, a gutter scoop, or a garden trowel. Use your bucket or bag to collect the debris. 

Once you’ve cleared the gutter itself, use your hose to clear the downspout. If no water flows through it, you can use a plumbing snake to break up the debris. Then use your hose to clear out any small pieces of dirt or grime that’s left over. (Check the dirt and make sure it’s not roofing granules that are falling off your shingles.)

While you are running your hose, take note of any leaks where the water is dripping out of your gutter, as well as any other signs of gutter damage. If you do have gutter damage, you’ll want to contact a gutter specialist to see if it can be repaired or if you need new gutters.

Install gutter guards. This is an optional step, but quality gutter guards like Leaf Relief Gutter Guards will dramatically reduce or eliminate your need to clean your gutters.

If you have a lot of leaves and debris in your gutter, you may want to consider cutting back trees and branches so that they don’t overhang your roof. 

Remember to prioritize safety while cleaning gutters, and if you’re uncomfortable doing it yourself, consider hiring a professional gutter cleaning service.

Gutter Company Near You

Gutter cleaning requires standing on a ladder and getting dirty. While there are some tools to clean your gutter, there’s nothing more effective than professional gutter cleaning. 

Located in Bucks, Chester or Montgomery County, Pennsylvania? We’d love to clean your gutters for you. Contact us today.