How Often Should You Schedule Gutter Cleaning and Whitening?

Gutter cleaning and whitening are necessary to preserve the value and curb appeal of your home. Clogged gutters cause water to soak into your home’s roof, walls, and foundation and could destroy them over time!

Regular cleaning is crucial, but how often should you schedule it? There are a few factors to consider. The quick answer is to get them cleaned and whitened at least once a year after all the leaves have fallen, but some homes may need more than that.

Cleaning Gutters More Often

The biggest cause for clogged gutters is tree debris. Sap, leaves, needles, and even twigs can get swept up into your gutter and stay there. Over time, they block the flow of water and cause it to seep into your home. Some trees are worse than others about this problem.

If you have tall trees shedding onto your roof, you’ll need to get your gutters cleaned more often to keep them flowing. Overhanging branches also invite birds to nest and leave their own kind of debris on your roof, making it unsightly. It can even invite household pests to make a nest!

If you don’t want to get your gutters cleaned more than once a year, trimming back all overhanging branches from your home is a must. That said, places with strong winds or a lot of dust can still blow debris up onto your roof. Even if there are no trees around, it’s still a good idea to get a cleaning once a year.

What Is Gutter Whitening?

If you have debris in your gutter, the water in them can overflow during a storm and dirty the outside of your gutters. One common sign of a clogged gutter is tiger striping, where you can see bands of clean white gutter with bands of dirty gutter. This is a sign of a neglected gutter system.

Gutter whitening takes off that excess dirt on the outside of your gutters and makes them look new again, improving the appearance of your home. In most cases, you’ll only need this service once a year even if you have to clean your gutters more often.

A great way to save money on home maintenance is to schedule the rest of your exterior cleaning when you do your gutter whitening. Our crew will already have the pressure washer, so we can work on cleaning your siding, foundation, and windows at the same time.

Can I Clean My Gutters Myself?

You can, but it is a dangerous job. If you have a home taller than one story, we cannot recommend cleaning your own gutters without training and specialized equipment. All it takes is one slip up while you’re shoveling out muck and dragging hoses to cause a fall from your ladder.

Your gutters are also more delicate than you think. If you’ve let debris build up for a while and soak up water, the muck in there is heavier than it looks. We’ve had to help homeowners who’ve accidentally pulled their gutters away from their home trying to dig it all out.

By hiring a professional, you can avoid the dangers of ladders and skip the wet, dirty work of gutter cleaning and whitening. First Coast Home Pros has the tools and training to do the job right and do it quickly.

I Have Gutter Guards. Do I Still Need Gutter Cleaning?

Yes, though you may not need it as often. Our team likes to install Leaf Relief gutter guards, which we feel are the best in the market, yet you may have another brand of gutter guard. If you’ve had guards for a while and haven’t looked into your gutters, it’s time to get them inspected!

Even if your gutters don’t need as much cleaning with a guard, a regular inspection can find problems before the start. For example, if your roof is failing, we can detect that through loose gutter fasteners. Sometimes, debris can get stuck on the guards. In low-grade gutter guards, this can cause them to collapse! 

Our professional gutter cleaners will inspect your gutter guard system and make a recommendation of how often you’ll need maintenance. Good gutter guards help, but they’re not perfect.

Schedule Your Gutter Cleaning and Whitening

First Coast Home Pros can give you a free estimate for cleaning and whitening your gutters. While we’re there, we can inspect them and the edge of your roof for water damage. To get your free estimate or schedule a service appointment, contact our offices.