Signs your gutters are clogged
You can usually tell from the ground:
- Water spilling over the front or back of the gutter in rain while little or nothing comes out of the downspout.
- Plants or seedlings growing out of the gutter. Maple seeds sprout quickly in wet debris.
- Leaves, twigs or shingle grit visible above the gutter edge.
- The gutter sagging in the middle from the weight of wet debris.
- Birds, squirrels or wasps going in and out at the roof edge.
- Dark vertical stripes on the face of the gutter (often called tiger striping) where dirty water has run over the edge.
- A downspout that makes no sound during rain, or drips from its seams and elbows.
What a gutter cleaning visit includes
A cleaning is done properly when the gutters are empty and the downspouts run free. Here's what the visit covers:
- Debris removed by hand from every run, including the packed material at corners and outlets. It's bagged for disposal.
- Roof valleys and the lower roof edge cleared of loose piles that would wash straight back into the gutter.
- Downspouts flushed with water from the top. If one backs up, we clear it.
- A flow test. We watch the water travel the length of each run to confirm it drains to the outlet and doesn't pool.
- A condition check. Loose hangers, open seams, low spots, soft fascia and missing extensions are noted and shown to you.
- Cleanup of anything that landed on walks, decks and beds.
If we find a loose hanger or a dripping corner, we can often handle the gutter repair on the same trip. We tell you the cost first.
Why mature trees in Pontiac's older neighborhoods mean more frequent cleaning
How often you need cleaning depends almost entirely on what's growing over your roof, and Pontiac's older neighborhoods have a lot growing over them. Areas like Seminole Hills were laid out in the 1910s and built up in the 1920s and 1930s, and the neighborhood is known today for its tree-lined streets, with mature canopies that reach over 2-story roofs.
For a homeowner, that means debris arrives in more than one wave. Maples drop seed "helicopters" in late spring. They're small enough to slide into a downspout and they mat together when wet.
In fall the leaves come down over several weeks, and oaks hang on to theirs longest. A single fall cleaning done in mid October probably gets filled again by Thanksgiving.
On a tree-covered lot, plan on a late spring cleaning and a late fall cleaning at minimum, and time the fall visit for after the last trees overhead have dropped. A newer subdivision lot with young trees is a different situation and may need far less.
What affects the cost of gutter cleaning
Cleaning is priced by how much gutter there's and how hard it's to reach. Specifically:
- Linear feet of gutter and the number of downspouts.
- Height. A 2-story house takes longer than a ranch, and a walkout lot can make the back of a 2-story effectively 3.
- Roof pitch and access. Steep roofs, gutters above decks or sunrooms, and tight side yards slow the work.
- How long it has been. A season of dry leaves lifts out quickly. Several years of compacted, rotted debris with plants rooted in it doesn't.
- Clogged downspouts or buried drain lines that need to be taken apart or cleared.
- Gutter guards that have to be removed and refitted to clean underneath.
When a clogged gutter becomes urgent
A full gutter is normally a maintenance item. It needs same-day attention when:
- Rain is in progress or forecast and water is already coming in at a basement wall, window well or door
- The gutter is visibly pulling off the house under the weight
- Freezing weather is 1 or 2 days away and the gutters are full of water and debris, which will become a solid block of ice
- Wasps or hornets have nested at the gutter line near a door
If water is entering the house now, call (248) 653-1727. We answer 24 hours a day. See emergency gutter repair for what you can safely do in the meantime.
How to get ready, and how to go longer between cleanings
Before we arrive, unlock any gates, move vehicles away from the eaves, and keep pets inside. Tell us about any spots where you have seen overflow so we can check the slope there.
Afterward, watch the downspouts in the next rain. Each one should run strongly.
If you're tired of the twice-a-year routine, gutter guards can stretch the interval considerably, though no guard makes a gutter maintenance-free. And if your downspouts clog every season, switching to larger 3x4-inch downspouts often solves it.
Cleaning is the cheapest way to protect the gutters you have. When they're past saving, Go Gutters is also the Pontiac gutter company that replaces them.
Gutter cleaning questions homeowners ask
How often should gutters be cleaned in Pontiac?
Twice a year for most homes: late spring, once tree seeds and blossoms have dropped, and late fall, after the leaves are down. Homes directly under large maples, oaks or pines often need a third cleaning. Homes with no trees nearby can sometimes go once a year.
When is the best time for fall gutter cleaning in Michigan?
After most of the leaves have fallen and before the first hard freeze. Oaks hold their leaves late, so homes under oaks may need to wait until late November. Once debris freezes into the gutter it can't be removed properly until a thaw.
Do you clean the downspouts too?
Yes. A clean gutter with a blocked downspout still overflows. We flush each downspout, and if water backs up we clear the clog from the top or take the bottom elbow apart to remove it.
Can clogged gutters really cause basement leaks?
Yes. When a gutter overflows, all the water from that section of roof lands in a narrow strip right at the foundation. Over a few storms the soil saturates and water finds its way through cracks in the basement wall or over the top of the foundation.
Is it safe to clean my own gutters?
On a single-story house with firm, level ground, many homeowners do it safely with a stable ladder and a helper. Second-story gutters, sloped yards, and gutters near overhead power lines are where most ladder injuries happen, and those are better left to someone equipped for it.
Will cleaning fix my overflowing gutter?
If debris is the cause, yes. If the gutter still overflows after cleaning, the cause is slope, size or downspout capacity, and we'll show you which. That becomes a repair or an upgrade.