Everything you need to know about gutter clearance and cleaning.
Gutter clearance vs gutter cleaning: what’s the difference?
Before we answer some commonly asked questions about gutter clearance, we want to explain the difference between gutter clearance and gutter cleaning. Although, technically, these are two different services, the terms are often used interchangeably so it’s important to know the difference - and which service you’re after - when making enquiries for services or comparing quotes.
Gutter clearance (or clearing) refers to the clearing out of vegetation and other debris from gutters and downpipes to ensure that they function efficiently and channel water away from your building into the drains.
Gutter cleaning is something slightly different. It refers to the cleaning of the outside of the guttering. The external surfaces of the guttering can become discoloured by green, black algae or fungus. This is most apparent on white PVC guttering. Typically, gutters would be cleaned along with the fascia and soffits. This can be done by hand using ladders but is usually achieved more efficiently using water fed pole systems.
This article focuses on gutter clearance (although we do also provide gutter cleaning services).
How are gutters cleared?
Traditionally, gutter clearance is done by hand using ladders and a bucket or bag to scoop everything into. More recently (in the last 20 years or so), gutter vacuum systems have become more prominent. A gutter vac is essentially a powerful wet and dry vacuum cleaner with long reach poles and a hook shaped attachment at the top. They are designed to be used to clear out gutters from ground level.
So, which is best: gutter vac or traditional methods?
Both have their advantages and disadvantages. Some of the top end gutter vacs have up to 3 motors and cameras at the top for assessing the gutters. But in some cases, there are no better tools than the human hand and eye!
How long does it take to clear gutters?
It will take between 30 minutes and two hours to clear the gutters on most houses. Commercial jobs may take days or even weeks depending on the scale.
Why is it important to clear gutters?
Gutters are designed to channel rain water away from your property to protect your home from damage. Without an effective guttering system, rainwater would stream down the building and into the foundations. This would cause all sorts of damp issues including around the eaves of the roof and walls.
Over time, roof gutters will inevitably collect silt and bio matter washed down from the roof tiles when it rains. Leaves, twigs, bird’s nests etc can cause blockages. If you have deciduous trees around, then leaves can be a persistent problem. We live by the coast and it’s not unusual to find chicken bones, crab claws and other shells discarded by seagulls picnicking on roof tops!
If these blockages are not cleared then gutters will start to back up and overflow. This in turn could cause damp issues and/or staining to walls, render and brickwork. When guttering has not been cleared for extended periods, gutters gradually fill up with compacted compost. Add rainwater to the mix and the gutters get much heavier than they are supposed to be. This can result in the gutters sagging under the weight, bending and twisting and causing the bracket fixings to fail.
How often should I clear should my gutters?
How often should you get your gutters cleared in the UK? It really depends on a number of factors but as general rule we would recommend having gutters cleared and checked at least once a year. If you have lots of moss on your roof or deciduous trees close by then you may need to get the gutters cleared more regularly.
How can I tell if my gutters need clearing?
It’s difficult, because you can’t easily see into the gutters from the ground but there are a few easily recognisable tell-tale signs that your gutters are blocked. Look for:
Plants growing in the gutter
Birds nests
Water overflowing when it rains
Gutters sagging or bending
Stains on guttering or on walls below (this will look like grey or black water staining)
Roof valleys that are full of moss and/or debris (if the valleys are full, the gutters below are likely to be full too).
Houses that are in close proximity to deciduous trees may need gutters cleared more frequently.
What’s the best time of year to have your gutters cleared?
In the UK, any time of year is a good time to clear the gutters. Given our climate, we can get heavy rain year-round so it’s important for the guttering to function in all seasons. If the gutters are blocked, we therefore recommend that you get them cleared straight away.
For buildings in certain locations, there may be specific times of year where there is a more obvious need to get the gutters cleared. For example, if your house or building is surrounded by tall deciduous trees that drop their leaves in autumn, there is a high probability that the leaves will enter the gutters causing a blockage. As such, having your gutters cleared in early winter once the leaves have fallen may make sense. Bear in mind though, that in wooded areas gutters will often need to be cleared every six months or so to keep them free of leaves.
Do gutter brushes work?
Firstly, what is a gutter brush (aka gutter hedgehogs)? It’s a device that is placed into a gutter to deflect leaves and other falling debris from landing in the gutters, while allowing the rainwater to flow freely. Imagine an oversized pipe cleaner!
Second, are they any good? They are a great idea in theory, but in practice they only work in the short term. We have cleaned hundreds of gutters and have seen that, over time, these gutter brushes become clogged with all the usual culprits: silt, decomposing leaves etc. They then become a hindrance to clearing the gutters. Extra time will be needed to remove the gutter brushes, clean the brushes out and replace them, increasing the cost of the job. A perfect example of false economy!
When we come across gutter brushes, our advice to customers is to let us remove them and bin them. Gutter brushes DO NOT reduce the need for gutter clearing. It’s more efficient to have your gutters cleared periodically.
How much does it cost to get gutters cleared?
Checkatrade states the average cost for gutter cleaning in the UK to be between £90 and £250 + VAT. Bear in mind that every job will be different and there will also be additional time spent on assessing and quoting the job, scheduling, invoicing and processing payment.
Factors affecting gutter cleaning / clearing costs might include:
overall length and height of roof gutters to be cleared
whether they are obviously very full e.g. growing with vegetation
access to gutters
tools required
travel time to the job
are any repairs needed
the contractor that you use (are they experienced, well equipped, established etc)
Our prices for gutter clearance start at £80 incl. VAT for smaller domestic jobs but could be as much as £500 for a much larger house. Big commercial jobs could be in the thousands and cherry picker hire may also need to be factored in.
We typically price jobs from the ground and apply a standard per meter price. There will often be sections of the guttering that are a lot worse than others but we have found that by pricing per meter for the whole guttering system, it tends to average out.
We can carry out minor repairs such as replacing downpipes or leaking joints, usually the same day. Often, it’s obvious from the ground if there’s an issue and you as the home owner may have noticed gutters overflowing when it rains. Persistent problems can be caused by guttering that was poorly fitted in the first place, without the correct fall which allows water to flow to the downpipes effectively. Unfortunately, this is an issue that we see all too often. In these cases, either an isolated section of the guttering will need to be replaced or even the whole system will need to be completely re-installed with the proper fall.
Who can I get to clear my gutters out?
You may be wondering ‘can I clear my own gutters?’. Well, you can, provided you are in good health, confident and experienced on a tall ladder and have the correct tools and equipment. However, working at height is inherently dangerous and falls can be fatal so we would strongly advise against doing it yourself and encourage you to seek an experienced professional.
Gutter clearance is not usually a trade in itself but can be an additional service for some other trades. Here are some ideas which trades may be able to clear / clean out your gutters:
window cleaners (like us)
roofers
general builders
handy men
We hope this helps when deciding whether and when to get your gutters cleared and which quote to accept.
If you have any questions about our services or would like a quote for gutter clearance or cleaning, please Contact Us.