Gutter cleaning in Horsham and Montgomery County

How often do gutters need cleaning? It depends on your trees

There is no single answer, because the trees over your roof decide it. A house in an open development with a couple of young trees might get by with one cleaning a year. A house under big old oaks and maples, which describes a lot of streets around Horsham and Upper Dublin, can fill its gutters twice in one fall.

• Few or no trees near the roof: once a year, in late fall, is usually enough.
• A few mature trees nearby: twice a year. Late spring after the seed pods and flowers drop, and late fall after the leaves are down.
• Trees hanging over the roof: two or three times a year, and check after big wind storms. This is where gutter guards start to earn their cost.
• Pine trees: needles fall all year and slip through some guards, so plan on regular checks.

Time the fall cleaning right: Clean too early and the gutters fill again before winter. Wait until most of the leaves are down, then get them cleared before the first hard freeze. Leaves frozen into a gutter add weight and help ice build at the roof edge.

Cleaning your own gutters safely

Plenty of homeowners clean their own one-story gutters, and that is fine. Falls from ladders are how most people get hurt doing it, so if you do it yourself, set up properly:

1. Use the right ladder. An extension ladder for anything above the first floor, tall enough to reach without standing on the top rungs. A step ladder on uneven ground is how people fall.
2. Set the angle and footing. About one foot out from the wall for every four feet of height, on firm, level ground. Never on mulch, a deck edge or wet grass without something solid under the feet.
3. Do not lean on the gutter. Gutters are not built to hold a ladder or your weight. Use a stand-off bracket, or set the ladder against the wall below.
4. Move the ladder often. If you have to reach past your shoulder, climb down and move it. Overreaching is the most common cause of a fall.
5. Have someone home. Someone to hold the ladder and hand things up, and to call for help if something goes wrong.
6. Flush the downspouts. Run a hose into each outlet. If water backs up, the clog is usually at the top elbow or the bottom bend.

When to call someone: Two-story or higher gutters, a steep or slate roof, gutters over a patio or stairs, or if you are not steady on a ladder. Skip it. A cleaning costs far less than a trip to the emergency room.

What we look at besides the leaves

A gutter cleaning is a good chance to see the edge of your roof up close. We clear the gutters by hand, bag the debris, flush every downspout, and keep an eye out for:

• Shingle granules in the gutter. A handful is normal. Heaps of them mean the shingles are wearing out.
• Soft or stained fascia. Rot behind the gutter from past overflow.
• Loose hangers and low spots. The start of a sagging run.
• Leaking joints and corners. Easy to see when the gutter is empty and clean.
• Drip edge and first row of shingles. Lifted, cracked or missing shingles at the edge, and whether water is getting behind the gutter.
• Anything obvious up the roof. Missing shingles, a lifted vent boot, branches resting on the roof.

If we find something, you get photos and we tell you whether it needs fixing now or can wait. A gutter repair or roof repair is always a separate, written estimate. We do not do extra work without your go-ahead.

What happens when gutters stay clogged

Water that cannot get down the downspout goes over the edge or behind the gutter. Over a few seasons that rots the fascia, stains siding, washes out flower beds and puts water against the foundation. In winter, a clogged gutter fills with ice and can back water up under the shingles.

None of that is dramatic on day one. It is the slow, cheap-to-prevent kind of damage, which is why a cleaning once or twice a year is worth doing, whether you do it or we do. If you are getting a roof inspection anyway, ask about doing the gutters on the same visit.

What it usually costs

The size and height of the house, how many downspouts there are, and how packed the gutters are set the price. Gutters that have not been cleaned in years take longer.

• Gutter Cleaning: $350 – $550
• Gutter Repair: $350 – $1,500
• Gutter Guard Installation: $1,200 – $5,000

Questions we get asked

How often should gutters be cleaned in Horsham?

At least once a year in late fall, and twice a year if mature trees are near the roof. Homes with trees hanging over the roof can need two or three cleanings a year. Pine trees mean regular checks year round.

How much does gutter cleaning cost?

A typical gutter cleaning runs $350 to $550. Larger and taller homes, many downspouts, or gutters packed with years of debris sit at the higher end. We tell you the price before we start.

When is the right time to clean gutters in the fall?

After most of the leaves have come down and before the first hard freeze. Cleaning too early means doing it twice. Leaves frozen into the gutter add weight and help ice build at the roof edge.

Is it safe to clean my own gutters?

On a one-story house with a proper ladder on firm, level ground, most people can do it safely. Never lean the ladder on the gutter, move it instead of overreaching, and have someone home. Leave two-story gutters and steep roofs to a crew with the right equipment.

What if you find damage while cleaning?

We take photos and show you. Any repair to the gutters, fascia or roof is a separate written estimate, and we do not do it without your approval.

Will gutter guards mean I never have to clean my gutters?

No. Guards cut down how often gutters need cleaning, but fine debris like pine needles and seeds still builds up on many of them. They are most worth it under heavy tree cover or on tall houses.

Related pages

• Gutter Repair: Sagging, leaking or overflowing gutters fixed before they rot your fascia.
• Gutter Installation: Seamless gutters and downspouts sized to move water away from your foundation.
• Roof Inspection: A free, top-to-bottom look at your roof with photos, so you know what you actually need before you spend anything.
• Roof Repair: Leaks, missing shingles, flashing and vents. We fix the problem and tell you honestly how much life the roof has left.
• Horsham: Home base. Our shop is here.
• Maple Glen: Established neighborhoods minutes from our shop.
• Upper Dublin Township: Dresher, Fort Washington, Maple Glen and the rest of the township.
• Fort Washington: Wooded lots where trees and storms are the main roof threat.
• Willow Grove: Post-war Capes, ranchers and splits on their second or third roof.
• Montgomery County: Where we do most of our work, from Horsham out across the county.
• Bucks County: Warminster, Doylestown, Newtown, Yardley, Chalfont and everywhere in between.