How often should gutters be cleaned?
For most houses, once a year is a sensible baseline, timed before the winter rain rather than after it.
Properties with trees nearby, or with moss on the roof shedding into the runs, often need clearing twice a year. A completely open property with no trees may go longer.
What makes it more frequent
- Trees overhanging or close to the roofline
- Moss on the roof washing down into the gutters
- Shallow-fall gutter runs where debris settles rather than moving
- Long runs with a single downpipe
- Exposed coastal positions collecting windblown debris
Signs it is overdue
- Water running over the front edge of the gutter during rain
- Plants or grass visibly growing out of the gutter
- Staining or green growth down the wall below a joint
- A downpipe that stays silent while it is raining hard
- Damp patches appearing inside near an external wall
Getting the timing right
Autumn, after the leaves are down, is the most useful single visit of the year — it clears the system before the heaviest rainfall arrives.
If roof moss removal is planned, clear the gutters after that work rather than before, because the debris comes down with it.
Want it looked at properly?
Send a few photographs of the elevation along with the address, and Rob will tell you what can realistically be improved, what it will cost and when it can be done.