Every January we get calls from homeowners whose gutters pulled away from the house, overflowed into the basement or grew icicles the size of fence posts. Almost all of them meant to clean the gutters in November. This is the guide to not being that call.
The Two Windows That Matter
Late Spring: After Cottonwood Season
Along the Wasatch Front the cottonwoods release seed in late May and June, maples and fruit trees drop blossoms and helicopters before that, and a spring windstorm adds twigs. Clean in late May or June, after the seed drop, so the gutters are clear for summer cloudbursts. A July thunderstorm can drop an inch of rain in twenty minutes, and a gutter packed with cottonwood fluff overflows straight down the siding.
Late Fall: After Leaf Drop, Before Lasting Snow
The fall window is the one that prevents the expensive damage. Leaves finish dropping in the valley around late October; on the bench and in Park City it is earlier. The first lasting snow usually arrives between late October and mid-November on the bench and a few weeks later on the valley floor. Clean in that gap. A gutter that goes into winter full of wet leaves freezes into a solid block, and that block is what pulls hangers loose, pushes meltwater under the shingles and turns a $200 cleaning into a $2,000 repair.
Homes That Need A Third Visit
- Lots with pine, spruce or fir overhead, which shed needles all year
- Homes under mature cottonwoods in Holladay, Murray, Sugar House, Kaysville and Provo
- Bench homes where early storms knock leaves down before the trees are bare
- Rentals and second homes where nobody is watching the gutters
What A Proper Cleaning Includes
A cleaning is not a leaf blower on a pole. A proper visit means hand removal of debris from every run, a hose flush of every downspout to confirm it drains at the bottom, a look at hangers, seams, corners and pitch while someone is up there, and photos of anything that needs attention. The downspout flush is the part that prevents the basement flood, and the inspection is what catches a pulled hanger before the ice does.
What It Costs
Professional cleaning in the Salt Lake area runs $150 to $250 for a single-story home and $200 to $400 for a two-story, depending on linear feet, pitch and debris. Homes with micro-mesh guards pay about half. A maintenance plan with scheduled spring and fall visits takes fifteen to twenty percent off the per-visit rate and puts you first in line before the first snow, which is when every ladder in the valley is booked.
Should You Do It Yourself?
On a single-story home with a stable ladder and someone holding it, many homeowners do. On a two-story, a steep lot, a roof over a deck or an icy day, the fall risk is real; ladder falls are the most common serious home-maintenance injury. Professional crews are insured for ladder work, which matters if someone comes off your roof.
Or Stop Cleaning Altogether
Micro-mesh gutter guards nearly eliminate cleaning on most homes and pay for themselves in about five seasons under trees. See what guards cost and which type fits which tree.
Read more on our gutter cleaning service page and the cleaning cost guide.
Ready for a number on your own house? SwiftHand Gutters gives free, itemized estimates across Salt Lake, Utah, Davis, Weber, Summit and Wasatch counties. Request a free estimate or call 801-784-6712.
