Gutter Cleaning FAQ’s

Clogged gutters lead to all kinds of problems. Not only will they cause your gutter system to come loose and cause other damages to your gutter system. But once they start over flowing they will cause wood rot around the home, water will start getting into the walls, and also it will lead to basement leaks.

Keeping your gutters cleaned regularly will save you a lot of money on repairs in the long run.

Here is some more information of damages clogged gutters can cause: Clogged Gutters Cause Big Problems

That depends on the size of your home, and how much debris has accumulated in your gutters. A small home with little to no debris could be done in as fast as 20-30 minutes. However a smaller home with a lot of debris could take 60-90 minutes depending on what type of debris is in the gutters.

Larger homes (5,000 sq ft plus) could take as long as 2-3 hours if there is a lot of debris.

Having gutter covers on your gutters, or if your roof is not walkable, will both add a lot of time to the gutter cleaning process.

Most gutter cleaning companies do not require you to be home for your gutter cleaning services. Since the gutters are all outside of your home, they do not need access to the inside of your home.

Here at My Gutter Pro we send out automated notifications when we are on the way to the home, and when we are done the job. We also provide pictures of the cleaned gutters once the job is complete. That way if you’re not home, you still have proof that we completed the job.

We always tell our customers this depends on the amount of trees and the types of trees in your neighborhood.

Homes with little-to-no tree coverage around their home usually can get by with one gutter cleaning per year, or sometimes every other year. We suggest at least one yearly gutter cleaning because it’s important to have somebody examine your roof at least once a year.

Here is some more information on gutter cleaning frequency: HOW OFTEN SHOULD I CLEAN MY GUTTERS?

The service gutter cleaning companies provide, is removing the debris from the insides of the gutters and downspouts. This is to ensure proper water flow throughout the entire gutter system and prevent damages that come from clogs in the gutter.

All gutter cleaning companies perform their gutter cleaning services differently. Some bag and remove all of the debris, while others will use only leaf blowers. Most companies do a combination of both. Either way, they are supposed to leave your property clean of leaves and debris. (Unless your yard is already covered in leaves)

Another thing companies may or may not do, is use water to flush the gutters and downspouts. Be sure to check with your local gutter cleaner to know if they flush with water or not. Keep in mind there are ways to verify if the downspout is clogged or not, without using water.

It is best to not use any cleaning chemicals when performing gutter cleanings. In fact, most gutter cleaning companies do not use any chemicals when cleaning the gutters.

When to do gutter cleaning? The best times of the year to have your gutters cleaned are at the end of fall, and the end of spring.

For our customers that only require one gutter cleaning per year, we always suggest getting them cleaned at the end of fall. (Early December-Early January) It’s important to wait until the trees have dropped all their leaves before you clean the gutters. The idea is to wait as long as possible but get it done before the freezing temperatures set in.

If you need two cleanings per year, then the end of fall and the end of spring are your two best times. Just like in the fall, trees drop a bunch of debris in the spring. Like flowers, seed pods, and pollen. For the spring, we always suggest the end of May thru the end of June.

Here is some more information on gutter cleaning: SPRING GUTTER CLEANING TIPS

Unless otherwise noted, the gutter cleaning crew will more than likely get on the roof and clean the gutters from up there. However, there are certain situations where they will not walk on the roof. Such as if the roof is too steep, if the roof is slate or cedar shake, or if the roof is covered in moss or generally in bad condition overall.

Keep in mind that cleaning your gutters from the ladder only, will double or triple the length of time the crew will be on the job.

As always, if your roof is in poor condition, then the crew will likely not walk on it at all. Be sure to let your gutter cleaning crew know when scheduling your service, that you do not want them walking on your roof.

For the most part, no, gutter companies typically do not include blowing off the entire roof during gutter cleanings. However, most gutter cleaning companies will include this as a separate service that you can add on.

If your home has flat roofs, be sure to let your gutter cleaning company know before hand so they can figure it into the estimate. Otherwise, they may not clean the area or they’ll have to adjust the price after the job is completed.

However, most gutter cleaning companies do clean the leaves out of the roofing valleys and around the perimeter of the gutter. That way that debris doesn’t go straight into the gutter during the next rain.

Yes, all gutters and downspouts on the entire home are included with gutter cleaning services. Most companies only clear the downspouts to the ground level, but you may be able to find a company that services the underground drains as well.

Nope, we do not charge extra for tapping in of loose gutter spikes. That is included in the cost of the gutter cleaning service.

However, if there are a lot of loose gutter spikes in one particular area, we will note that the gutter needs to be re-secured with new hardware which might require a separate gutter repair service.

Most gutter cleaning companies do not include any detached structures in the original gutter cleaning estimate. Be sure to check with your local company before booking if there is a separate fee for detached sheds or gutters.

Most gutter cleaning companies do not include underground drains with a gutter cleaning service. However, they are able to verify if it is clogged and disconnect the downspout from the drain above the ground. This way you can re-direct the water until you get somebody to snake out the underground drains. Learn more about underground drain clogs in our dedicated article.