A good gutter maintenance checklist should be a part of every homeowner’s home maintenance routine. The gutter system protects your home from harmful (and expensive) water damage, which makes it an extremely important part of the house.
Below, you’ll find a basic gutter maintenance checklist that will help you keep your gutters and your home in top condition. We also have seasonal maintenance tasks so that you can protect your gutter system year-round.
What You Need
Before starting your gutter routine, gather the appropriate supplies. Here are the tools you’ll need to complete your gutter checklist:
- A bucket
- An extension ladder (not a step ladder)
- Work clothes and gloves
- A garden trough
- A garden hose or wet/dry vacuum with a gutter-cleaning attachment
- A helper (optional)
Gutter Maintenance Checklist
There are four basic steps to maintaining your gutters: removing any debris, cleaning the gutters, checking for drainage and leaks, and checking for any damage.
Remove Debris
The first step in maintaining your gutters is to remove any debris. Leaves, pine needles, and other kinds of yard litter can get caught in your gutters and build up over time, leading to harmful clogs. Either clean your gutters by hand with a bucket and ladder or use your garden hose or vacuum’s gutter cleaning attachment from the ground.
Clean Gutters
After cleaning out your gutters, it’s time to clean them off. Mold, algae, and mildew can trap water and prevent your gutters from draining properly. Use a power washer or your hose’s gutter attachment or jet nozzle at full power to get rid of harmful buildup.
Check for Drainage and Leaks
Next, check your gutters’ drainage and inspect them for leaks. To do this, run water from your hose on the opposite side of your gutters from the downspout and either examine the gutters yourself or have a helper do it. Any leaks should be immediately visible, and if you hold your ear to the gutters, you should be able to hear water running through them.
If water doesn’t come out of the downspout at the same rate the hose is flowing, your drainage is poor, and your gutters need adjusting. Check the slope and for any sagging gutters.
If, on the other hand, water doesn’t come through at all and there are no leaks, you likely have a blockage in your downspout. Use a power washer or strong hose to flush out anything that might be blocking the water.
Check for Damage
The last step in gutter maintenance is to check for any functional damage. Functional damage is any damage that reduces the functionality of your gutters, as opposed to cosmetic damage, which only affects the appearance.
Rust, large dents, cracks, storm damage, and more are all examples of functional damage. A certain amount can be repaired, but if your gutters have a significant amount of functional damage, they may need to be replaced. Any repairs or replacement should be done by a professional gutter technician.
Gutter Maintenance by Season
Gutter maintenance will differ from season to season. Giving your gutter system the right care for the right time of year is especially important if your yard has certain factors that increase the amount of TLC your gutters need. Some examples are having a lot of tall trees around your property and living in an area with heavy rainfall or snowy winters.
Overall, gutter care can be broken down into a few simple steps. Here’s a quick checklist of the basics:
| ☐ Remove leaves and lawn debris like bird’s nests from your gutters. |
| ☐ Remove stains like mildew from your gutters with cleaning solutions like vinegar |
| ☐ Maintain and repair your gutters as necessary |
| ☐ Improve your gutter system periodically with accessories like gutter guards |
Spring
In the springtime, start your gutter maintenance routine by cleaning out any winter debris. Snow and ice can hide a lot of yard litter that creates clogs. After the snow melts is the perfect time to clean out your gutters before spring rains start.
| ☐ Clean out gutters |
| ☐ Check for and remove stains using vinegar, a power washer, or a gutter cleaner solution |
| ☐ Check for and repair sagging by adjusting the slope, reinforcing the sagging section, or installing gutter spikes |
First, remove any leftover snow and ice from your gutter systems. You should clear your gutters of snow after the last snowfall.
Next, clean out any yard litter that was hiding underneath the snow.
Then, check your gutters for stains. Water from ice and snow, and the buildup underneath it, can lead to algae or mold growth. Get rid of any gutter stains to prevent problems down the line.
Finally, check your gutters for sagging. Ice and snow are heavy and can put stress on the gutter system. Sagging gutters can’t do their job effectively, so fix them before the heavy summer rains come.
Summer
In summer, you won’t see as much rainfall, which makes it the perfect time of year to make gutter upgrades or repairs. You could switch to a new material for your gutters, for example, repair cracks and sags, or even make a complete overhaul. Gutter guards are especially recommended ahead of the heavy leaffall of autumn.
| ☐ Inspect gutters for damage such as cracks or dents |
| ☐ Perform repairs/maintenance (As necessary) |
| ☐ Remove bird’s nests |
| ☐ Make upgrades like gutter guards or downspout extensions |
First, inspect your gutters. Heavy summer rainfall can put extra stress on your gutters, which will reduce the effectiveness of your system and may lead to damage. Inspect the gutter system after any significant rainfall.
Second, perform any necessary repairs or maintenance. Do this throughout the summer as necessary.
Third, check for birds’ nests. Most birds are out of the nest by summertime, leaving behind a big cluster of twigs and leaves that can easily become a clog if you leave them in the gutter. Clear out any birds’ nests after the end of the bird nesting season for your area.
Lastly, near the end of summer, make any improvements you’d like. Gutter guards, downspout extensions, or even a complete overhaul.
Autumn
Autumn sees a lot of leaves falling, which means more clogs and cleaning for your gutters. Trim any trees in your yard before the leaves start falling in earnest to save yourself a lot of work and headaches in the near future.
| ☐ Trim trees |
| ☐ Clean out gutters (Weekly) |
Although the fall has the fewest separate chores to take care of, this is the most crucial season for routine maintenance. Fallen leaves, acorns, hickory nuts, and other debris can clog your gutters, which can do major damage to your home if combined with heavy rainfall.
If you live in a spot with lots of leaves, or somewhere that gets lots of rain in the fall, consider weekly cleaning to make sure your gutters are free from debris and function properly. If you don’t want to get up on a ladder every Saturday, Home Gnome can help you find reliable gutter technicians in your area.
You can mitigate the impact of leaves by trimming your trees at the beginning of the season. This helps to minimize the amount of debris you have to deal with in the fall. Trimming back your trees is also a great way to prepare for winter. Dry, dormant branches (especially under snowfall) are more likely to fall during this time, damaging your roof.
Winter
You might think that a lack of leaves in winter means your gutters won’t need cleaning, but you would be wrong. Snow is heavier than leaf litter, which makes it even worse when it comes to creating clogs. Clean the snow off your gutters periodically to protect them from the cold weather and ice dams.
Here’s a quick winter gutter checklist:
| ☐ Disconnect rain barrel |
| ☐ Clean snow out of gutters (After any significant snowfall) |
| ☐ Check for and remove ice dams with hot water (Weekly) |
First, at the start of the season, disconnect your rain barrel if you have one. Rain barrels and their lines can freeze in the winter, which can cause a backup into your gutters or damage to the rain barrel system.
Clean the snow out of your gutter system after any significant snowfall to prevent rust and other gutter issues like sagging.
Finally, inspect your gutter system for ice dams weekly. In winter, ice can build up in your gutters and create an ice dam, a large mass of ice that not only clogs the gutters but can also weigh them down and cause sagging or cracks.
FAQ About Gutter Maintenance
The most common problem with gutters is clogging. Clogged gutters can lead to reduced drainage, roof and gutter damage, and rust.
They certainly can be. Gutter guards can greatly reduce the risk of gutter clogs and damage by preventing debris like leaves from stopping up your gutter system. The best time to install them is in summer when there’s less rainfall.
If you’re in the market for gutter guards, start with a quote for professional gutter guard installation from Home Gnome
There are many signs that it’s time to replace your gutters; some of the most common are rust, cracks, and standing water.
Go With the Flow
An ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure. That statement is especially true when it comes to vital home systems like your gutters. Follow a maintenance routine to keep them in working order and help them protect your home from water.
When it comes to gutters, it’s safer and easier to get help from a trained gutter technician. Gutter techs can clean, maintain, and repair your gutters or even install an entirely new system if you need it. Home Gnome can connect you with local gutter specialists in your area to make sure your gutters are clean and your home is protected from water damage.
Main Image Credit: Shutterstock
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