I hear you on the old house paranoia—mine's from the 40s and I swear the gutters are original. I used to just eyeball them after storms, but one year I let it go too long and ended up with a mini waterfall over the back porch. Not fun.
Here’s what’s worked for me, step-by-step:
1. **Spring clean**: Once the trees are done dropping seeds and pollen, I get up there. Usually late April or May.
2. **After big storms**: If we get a crazy windstorm or heavy rain, I’ll do a quick check with binoculars. If I see anything sticking out or water pouring over instead of through, that’s my cue to climb up.
3. **Fall leaf drop**: This one’s non-negotiable. As soon as most of the leaves are down (late October here), I clear everything out. If you wait until it snows, you’re basically out of luck until spring.
4. **Bonus round**: If you’ve got pine trees nearby, you might need to do this more often. Those needles clog things up fast.
Honestly, twice a year is probably the minimum if you’ve got trees around. If your gutters are open and you’re in a leafy neighborhood, three or four times isn’t crazy. Skipping a season can mean water sneaks behind your fascia or starts pooling at the foundation... which is way more expensive than just grabbing a ladder for half an hour.
If you hate heights (which I totally get), there are those gutter cleaning tools you can use from the ground, but I find they only do half the job. And gutter guards? Mixed bag—mine just trap smaller stuff and still need cleaning.
Long story short: if you’re checking after storms and doing a solid clean in fall and spring, you’re probably safe. But if you ever see water going anywhere except the downspout, don’t wait. That’s how basements flood and paint peels... learned that one the hard way.
Gutter guards get a bad rap, but I’ve actually seen them save folks a ton of hassle—especially on houses with big maples or oaks nearby. They’re not perfect, and yeah, you’ll still need to check for buildup once in a while, but the right style (like the fine mesh ones) can cut your cleaning down to once a year in a lot of cases. The cheap plastic ones? Total waste, those just pop off or let stuff through.
One thing I’d push back on: climbing up after every storm isn’t always necessary unless you know you’ve got a problem spot. Most people just need to keep an eye out for overflow or sagging. If you’re seeing water where it shouldn’t be, that’s when it’s time to break out the ladder.
And if your gutters are original from the ‘40s, honestly, it might be time to look at replacing them. Old steel gutters rust out inside where you can’t see, and that’ll cause leaks no matter how clean they are. Seen that more than once... not fun to discover during a downpour.
- Had a similar situation with old gutters—mine were from the ‘50s and looked fine outside, but inside? Total rust city. Didn’t catch it until water started dripping down the siding during a storm.
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100% agree. Tried those once—ended up picking pieces out of my yard for weeks.“The cheap plastic ones? Total waste, those just pop off or let stuff through.”
- Fine mesh guards actually worked for me, but I still have to clear out the corners every fall. Maybe it depends on the type of trees nearby?
- Not sure about only checking after storms. If I skip a check for too long, the downspouts clog up with those helicopter seeds. Learned that the hard way...
Honestly, I’ve seen way too many folks underestimate how much damage a neglected gutter can do. Had a rental where the tenants never touched the gutters—by the time I checked, water had started seeping into the basement. Ended up costing me a small fortune in repairs. I get the appeal of those mesh guards, but in my experience, they’re not a set-it-and-forget-it solution. Stuff still builds up, especially if you’ve got maples or pines nearby.
I’m curious—has anyone actually found a guard system that doesn’t need at least a seasonal check? I’ve tried a few brands, and even the pricier ones seem to need a clean-out after a heavy leaf drop. Maybe it’s just the nature of the beast, but I’d love to hear if someone’s cracked the code. Or is it just about making peace with dragging out the ladder twice a year?
