Twice a year, before the water wins.

Q: How often should gutters be cleaned?

Twice a year for most homes: late spring and again in late fall after leaf drop. Homes under heavy tree cover - especially pines, which shed year-round - often need quarterly cleanings.

Q: Do gutter guards mean I never have to clean?

No. Guards cut debris substantially but fine material still builds up, and the guards themselves need clearing. Inspect guarded gutters once or twice a year instead of treating them as maintenance-free.

Q: How far should downspouts discharge from the house?

At least 4-6 feet from the foundation, further on clay soils or where grading slopes toward the house. Splash blocks and downspout extensions are cheap insurance against a five-figure foundation repair.

Q: What slope should gutters have?

Roughly a quarter inch of fall per 10 feet of run, pitched toward the downspout. Standing water in a clean gutter means the slope or a sagging hanger needs attention.

Q: Why does water overflow even when the gutter looks clean?

Usually a clogged downspout or elbow rather than the gutter run itself, or a sag that pools water mid-run. Flush the downspout from the top and watch the discharge end; if flow doesn't match, the clog is in the pipe.

An inch of rain on a 1,000-square-foot roof is about 620 gallons, and the gutters decide whether it lands six feet from the house or in the foundation. Clean them in late spring and after leaf drop — quarterly under pines.

Last reviewed 2026-06-11Sources cited inlineReading time 4 min← All sheets

Spring, fall, and any time the trees say so.

Clean gutters twice a year — late spring, then late fall after the leaves are down.Heavy tree cover, especially pines, pushes it to quarterly.
Flush every downspout while you're up there and watch the discharge end.Most "clean gutter" overflows are actually clogged downspouts.
Check that water discharges 4–6 feet from the foundation.Splash blocks and extensions are the cheapest foundation insurance there is.
Eye the slope and hangers annually.About ¼ inch of fall per 10 feet of run, pitched toward the downspout.

9:41

My house ›

Today 9:41

Reminder: the leaves are mostly down — time to clean the gutters before the freeze locks them in. Reply DONE, LATER, or WHY.

DONE

Logged. Next gutter reminder lands in late spring.

Works on any phone that can text. Text HOME to start.

The hardware

The system is simple on purpose: a drip edge tucks under the shingles and sheds water over the gutter's back edge; hidden hangers carry the channel on the fascia board; the run pitches toward a downspout; elbows walk the pipe down the wall; and a splash block or extension dumps the water past the foundation.

Every part of that chain is cheap. The thing it protects — the soil grade and foundation under the eave — is not. A debris dam anywhere in the chain sends roof water straight down the siding and into the ground at the worst possible spot.

Fig. 1 — Eave section: gutter to grade.

1shingles & drip edge
5downspout & straps
2k-style gutter
6splash block
3hidden hanger
7fascia & soffit
4debris dam
8foundation

The schedule

The cadence is set by your trees and your climate — which is exactly what TextMyHouse tunes the reminders to.

Nº	Task	Interval	Operator	Why it matters
G-01	Clean gutters	2×/YRquarterly under heavy trees	● DIY, CAUTION	Late spring catches seed pods and blossoms; late fall catches the leaf drop before winter freezes the dam in place.
G-02	Flush downspouts	EACH CLEANING	● DIY, CAUTION	Hose from the top, watch the discharge end. If flow in doesn't match flow out, the clog is in the pipe or an elbow.
G-03	Check discharge distance	EACH CLEANING	● DIY	Water should land 4–6 feet from the foundation. Re-seat splash blocks; add extensions where soil is eroding.
G-04	Inspect slope & hangers	1×/YR	● DIY	Standing water in a clean gutter means a sag. Aim for ~¼″ of fall per 10 feet toward the downspout.
G-05	Trim overhanging branches	1×/YR	● OFTEN A PRO	Less canopy over the roofline means fewer cleanings. Height work over the roof is pro work.

The stakes

Gutter cleaning is the cheapest item on the whole maintenance calendar, protecting one of the most expensive failures a house can have:

$5,179

Average foundation repair ($2,224–$8,134 typical; severe sinking runs $20,000+), per This Old House, 2026.

$13,954

Average water-damage & freezing insurance claim, 2018–2022, per the Insurance Information Institute.

~$360

Average professional cleaning ($190–$530), per This Old House, 2026 — or free with a ladder and a Saturday.

620 gal

What one inch of rain sheds off a 1,000-square-foot roof. Every gallon goes wherever the gutters send it.

Warning signs

Water sheeting over the gutter face in rain. The run or the downspout is dammed.
Plants growing in the gutter. That's soil now. You're overdue by seasons, not weeks.
Tiger-striping or staining on the siding under the eaves — overflow leaves a record.
Sagging sections or pulled hangers. Wet debris is heavy; sags pool water and pull fasteners.
Erosion trenches or pooling at the foundation line after storms.
Mosquitoes around the eaves. Standing water in a flat or dammed run.

The job, done safely

Set the ladder right. Firm ground, 4-to-1 lean, three points of contact, and a standoff so you're not crushing the gutter you came to save.
Start at the downspout outlet and scoop away from it — gloved hands or a plastic scoop into a bucket.
Flush the run toward the outlet with a hose; watch that the slope carries it.
Flush the downspout from the top and confirm full flow at the discharge end.
Re-seat splash blocks and extensions so the water exits 4–6 feet out.

Hard stop

The dangerous part of this job is never the gutter — it's the ladder. Never work from the roof edge, never lean past your hips, never fight a gust. Second story or steep ground: hire it out. $360 is cheap against a fall.

Know your limits

● Yourself

Single-story, walkable ground

One-story eaves over flat ground, a good ladder, and a helper footing it: a homeowner job.

● With caution

Ladder discipline

The ladder is the entire safety story. Dry day, firm footing, no overreaching, gloves against screws and wasps.

● Call a pro

Height, slope, power lines

Second-story eaves, steep or soft ground, service drops near the roofline, and gutter or hanger repairs. Stop and call.

Questions homeowners ask

How often should gutters be cleaned?

Twice a year for most homes: late spring and again after leaf drop. Heavy tree cover — especially pines, which shed year-round — pushes it to quarterly.

Do gutter guards mean I never have to clean?

No. Guards cut debris substantially, but fine material still accumulates and the guards themselves need clearing. Inspect guarded gutters once or twice a year instead of treating them as maintenance-free.

How far should downspouts discharge from the house?

At least 4–6 feet from the foundation — further on clay soils or where the grade slopes toward the house. Splash blocks and extensions are cheap insurance against a five-figure repair.

What slope should gutters have?

Roughly ¼ inch of fall per 10 feet of run, pitched toward the downspout. Standing water in a clean gutter means a slope or hanger problem.

Why does water overflow even when the gutter looks clean?

Usually a clogged downspout or elbow rather than the run itself, or a mid-run sag pooling water. Flush from the top and watch the discharge end — if flow out doesn't match flow in, the clog is in the pipe.

Does TextMyHouse clean gutters?

No. TextMyHouse sends SMS reminders timed to your trees, climate, and season — so the cleaning happens before the water finds the foundation.

Keep reading

Sources

This Old House — Foundation Repair Cost, 2026 ($2,224–$8,134, average $5,179)
This Old House — Gutter Cleaning Cost, 2026 (~$190–$530, average ~$360)
Insurance Information Institute — Homeowners Claims Facts (average water-damage and freezing claim, 2018–2022)
LeafFilter — Gutter Parts Guide (component anatomy and terminology)

Reviewed 2026-06-11. The 620-gallon figure is arithmetic: 1,000 sq ft × 1 inch of rain ≈ 83 cubic feet ≈ 620 gallons.