How Often Should
Gutters Be Cleaned?
Once or twice a year suits most houses, but trees, moss and flat roofs change that. A plain guide from JC Property Maintenance, family-run roofers near Sandbach who clean gutters by hand.
Once or twice a year for most houses
Most houses need their gutters cleaned once or twice a year, and the clean that matters most is in late autumn, after the leaves have come down.
Trees overhead, moss on the roof or a flat roof draining into the gutter all mean it fills faster, so plan on more often.
A Simple Yearly Rhythm
Eurocell, a guttering manufacturer, suggests cleaning around once a year, or twice if you live near trees, and says a twice-yearly schedule should be enough for most homes. Jewson, the builders' merchant, gives the same advice: once at the start of spring and again after the autumn leaf drop.
The autumn clean is the one not to skip. Leaves that land in October and November sit in the gutter all winter, and standing water in a blocked gutter can freeze.
A spring clean then catches what the winter storms have washed down off the roof.
When Once a Year Is Not Enough
Trees nearby
Overhanging branches drop leaves, seeds and twigs straight into the gutter. Eurocell suggests more frequent cleans where there are trees around the house.
A mossy roof
Moss washing off the roof tiles is a common cause of blocked gutters. On a mossy concrete-tiled roof, the gutter refills every time it rains hard.
A flat roof above
Where a flat-roofed extension or garage drains into a gutter, Eurocell suggests cleaning more often.
After a storm
High winds strip leaves and bits of moss off everything. If a gutter overflows after a storm, check it then rather than waiting.
Signs Your Gutters Need Clearing Now
Look during or just after heavy rain.
- Water pouring over the front of the gutter instead of down the downpipe
- Drips from joints, or water running down the wall
- Grass or weeds growing out of the gutter
- Dark streaks, green staining or damp patches on the wall below
If the board behind the gutter looks soft or flaky as well, read the signs your fascias need replacing.
What Happens to Blocked Gutters
A blocked gutter cannot carry the water away, so in heavy rain it spills over the front and runs down the wall. Over time that can mean damp patches inside and a soaked fascia board behind the gutter, which is how timber fascias start to rot.
A gutter full of wet moss and leaves is also heavy, which puts strain on the brackets. If a run has already dropped, see gutter repairs.
Cleaning gutters safely
Clearing gutters means working at height, and the ladder is where the risk is. We do not give a how-to here. If you are not comfortable up a ladder, use a professional.
Check for nesting birds first. The RSPB points out that it is an offence under the Wildlife and Countryside Act 1981 to intentionally take, damage or destroy an active wild bird's nest, so wait until the young have gone.
Having Your Gutters Cleaned
We do gutter cleaning around Sandbach, Crewe and south Cheshire, by hand and from £35. Because we are roofers, we can also tell you what we see on the way: a joint that drips, a bracket that has given up, or a board that is going soft.
If your gutters keep overflowing even after a clean, the cause is usually the joint, the fall of the run or the board it is fixed to. That is a repair rather than a clean, and our guttering costs guide explains how we price it. Moss coming off a tired roof is a job for roof repairs.
Gutter cleaning from £35
Cleaned by hand, with the waste taken away.
Cleaning-only jobs are welcome.
Every house is different, so the free quote gives you the exact price.
Or ask through our contact page.
Moss, Gutters and Roofs from Our Jobs
Photos from our own jobs (click to expand). Job locations are not shown.
What Our Customers Say
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Cleaning Gutters: FAQ
For most houses, once or twice a year. Eurocell, a guttering manufacturer, suggests around once a year, or twice if you live near trees, and many guides recommend a clean in spring and another in late autumn.
For many houses, yes. If there are trees overhead, moss on the roof or a flat roof draining into the gutter, twice a year or more is safer.
Late autumn, after the leaves have fallen, is the clean that matters most. Eurocell and Jewson both suggest a second clean in spring.
Some people do, but working from a ladder is where the risk is, and we do not give a how-to. If you are not comfortable at height, use a professional.
They fill up and overflow in heavy rain. The water then runs down the wall or soaks the fascia board behind the gutter, which can lead to damp and rot.
No. The RSPB points out that it is an offence under the Wildlife and Countryside Act 1981 to intentionally take, damage or destroy an active wild bird's nest. Wait until the birds have gone.
Yes. You do not need any other work done; a gutter clean on its own is fine.
Book a Gutter Clean
Based in Winterley, near Sandbach. From Sandbach and Crewe out across Cheshire and Staffordshire.
Contact Options
Open Monday to Saturday, 8am to 6pm. Closed Sunday.