How often should you clean your gutters?

The short answer

InterNACHI says you should arrange to clean your gutters twice a year. When gutters fill with leaves, pine needles or shingle grit, rainwater spills over the edge instead of running to the downspouts, and that overflow can damage the wood under the eaves and the siding below it, and soak the ground right against the foundation.

Spring and late fall are the usual times. In the Chicago area and much of the Midwest, a cleaning after most leaves have dropped, and before the ground freezes and snow arrives, matters most. If big trees hang over the roof, check again after storms and whenever you see water pouring over the gutter edge in a rain.

Downspouts: the half people forget

Clean gutters only help if the water then goes somewhere harmless. The University of Minnesota Extension says downspout extensions should discharge water at least 4 feet beyond the wall, and that a downspout without an extender or splash block is worse than no downspout at all, because it dumps a whole roof's worth of water in one spot by the foundation. It suggests one downspout for every 50 feet of roof edge, and soil that slopes away from the house at least 1 inch per foot for at least 6 feet.

InterNACHI likewise says splash blocks or flexible downspout extensions should be used to prevent ponding, puddling and splash-back near the foundation. If your basement gets damp after storms, a downspout ending right at the wall is the first thing to check.

Ladder safety

A fall is the main risk in gutter work, so set the ladder up the way OSHA's extension ladder guidance describes, even though it's written for workers:

• The anglePut the base one-quarter of the ladder's working length away from the wall. Roughly 1 foot out for every 4 feet up.
• Solid footingBoth feet on a stable, level surface, with the rails evenly supported. Lock the ladder's catches before you climb.
• Three points of contactTwo hands and a foot, or two feet and a hand, facing the ladder, with your body between the rails.
• Hands freeCarry tools in a belt or raise them on a line, never in your hands while you climb.
• Power linesKeep the ladder at least 10 feet away from any power line.
• Getting on the roofIf you step onto a roof, the ladder top should extend 3 feet above the edge, or be secured at the top.

Check the ladder before each use for missing or loose rungs, bolts and other parts, and don't use one that's damaged.

How to clean gutters

1. 1. Set the ladder up safelyBase one-quarter of the working length from the wall, on firm level ground, rails evenly supported. Have someone nearby if you can.
2. 2. Scoop out the debrisStart near a downspout and work away from it, scooping leaves and grit into a bucket hung on the ladder. Move the ladder often rather than leaning out.
3. 3. Flush the gutterRun the hose from the far end toward the downspout. Water should flow steadily with no pooling. Pooling can mean a sag that needs repair.
4. 4. Clear the downspoutsIf water backs up, flush the downspout from the top, or work a plumber's snake up from the bottom.
5. 5. Check where the water landsMake sure each downspout has an extension or splash block carrying water at least 4 feet from the wall, onto ground that slopes away.
6. 6. Note itWrite down the date and anything that needs fixing, like loose hangers or leaking seams.

Ice dams in Midwest winters

An ice dam is a ridge of ice along the roof edge that holds back melting snow, which can then leak under the shingles into the attic, walls and ceilings. The University of Minnesota Extension explains the cause: uneven roof temperatures, mostly from heat escaping the house. Snow melts on the warmer upper roof and refreezes at the colder edge.

Its short-term advice is to remove snow from the roof, with the warning that a roof rake can damage roofing and that anyone on a winter roof risks injury. Cutting channels through a dam lets trapped water drain, but stops working within days. The lasting fix is indoors: first seal the air leaks from the house into the attic, then consider adding ceiling or roof insulation. Since the cause is heat from the house, clean gutters alone don't prevent ice dams.

When to hire it out

Hire a gutter service if the house is two stories or more, the roof is steep, the ground under the eaves is soft or sloped, power lines run near the roof edge, or you aren't comfortable on a ladder. The same goes for gutters pulling away from the house, sagging sections, or water leaking at the seams, which need repair as well as cleaning. For ice dams and leaks in winter, call a roofer rather than climbing up yourself.

Questions people ask