The short answer
Clean gutters at least once a year, and ideally twice: once in late autumn after the leaves fall, and once in spring to clear what has built up over winter. Houses beside large trees, or with roofs that shed moss and grit, may need a clear-out every few months in the worst seasons. Look after heavy storms too. The right frequency is the one that keeps water flowing, so check after rain to see whether the gutters are overflowing.
A routine that suits most houses
There is no single number that suits every home, but a yearly clean covers most. Autumn is the busy time, because leaves, twigs and seeds arrive together, and winter rain then lifts the debris into the outlet. A second visit in spring clears what settled over winter and the first moss and silt of the new year. Gutters on a house with no trees close by, in an open position, can go longer between visits, provided that you check them after heavy rain.
It helps to treat cleaning as inspection. While you are looking at the gutter, you can see joints that weep, brackets that have pulled out and sections that sag. Those faults are cheaper to deal with when found early. Our gutter maintenance guide sets out a yearly routine in more detail.
A simple check you can do without a ladder is to watch the gutters in a downpour. Stand back from the house during heavy rain and look along the eaves. Water should run steadily along the channel and out through the downpipe. If it spills over the front lip, drips from the underside or pours from a joint, the gutter is blocked, sagging or leaking, and it needs attention before the next storm. Photograph anything you see so you can show it to whoever helps, and note which side of the house and which length of gutter it is, since that saves time on the day.
When to clean more often
Some houses need a shorter cycle:
- Properties next to oaks, sycamores, limes or beeches, which drop heavy leaves or sticky seeds.
- Roofs covered with moss, where the moss sheds in clumps into the gutter, or concrete tiles that shed grit as they age.
- Flat roofs or low-pitched roofs that drain into a shallow run, where debris settles fast.
- Gutters with a poor fall, where silt collects at the low point.
- Homes near fields or woods where seeds, blossom and pine needles blow in.
In those cases, a quick look every couple of months in autumn and early spring is worthwhile. If you find yourself clearing a run every few weeks, ask whether the fall, the outlet size or the type of gutter needs attention, and read why gutters overflow.
What happens when you do not clean them
A blocked gutter cannot carry rainwater to the downpipe, so it overflows. Water pours down the wall, stains the brick, soaks the render and can find a way into the cavity or the window reveal. It lands at the foot of the wall and can affect the damp-proof course and the ground. At the roof edge, standing water soaks the fascia and the ends of the rafters, which rot slowly and quietly. A full gutter is heavy, too. Wet leaves and silt pull the run out of line and wrench out brackets, and the sag then holds more water.
In winter, a full gutter freezes, and expanding ice cracks joints and splits uPVC. Moss and weeds also take root in the sludge. A plant growing in your gutter is a sign you are overdue.
Cleaning is more than scooping. After the loose material is out, flush the channel with a hose to show up any standing water, which means a low spot. Check the outlet is clear and the downpipe runs freely, and make sure the water leaves at the bottom through a clear gully. A gutter that holds a puddle after the rest has drained needs its brackets adjusting. This is a quick job to fix during a clean, and it saves the trouble of a leaking joint later.
Doing it safely, or getting help
Most cleaning is done from a ladder, which is where most of the risk sits. Use a ladder with a stand-off bracket or a stabiliser, keep three points of contact and never lean sideways to reach. A tower or a long-reach vacuum tool from the ground is safer for higher runs. Wear gloves, and bag the waste. If your gutters are above the first floor or hard to reach, hiring someone with proper access is often the safer choice.
Gutter guards cut the load but do not remove it, as whether gutter guards are worth it explains. If a downpipe is the problem, see how to unblock a downpipe.
Our free survey photographs the gutters, outlets and joints and tells you whether a clear-out will do or whether sections need replacing. See the guttering, soffits and fascias page for what we do.
Every roof is different. A free survey with photos settles it for yours.
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