Why Spring Is The Perfect Time To Clean Your Gutters

Spring is the season to tackle many home improvement projects like planting new flowers and painting the exterior of your house, thanks to the warmer weather and longer daylight hours. While fall is usually the season when homeowners think about cleaning gutters, it's important not to forget them at the beginning of the spring season. Spring is the perfect time to clean your gutters because they are likely full of debris that accumulated over the fall and winter. Leaves and twigs in the gutter can cause blockages and lead to water drainage problems during heavy springtime rains.

Without a springtime cleanout of your gutters, you risk potential water damage to your roof and foundation from overflowing rainwater. Leaf litter can become a breeding ground for pests and introduce mold and mildew growth. As you're planning how to spring clean your home, make sure you place cleaning your gutters toward the top of the list so that you can prevent costly repairs later in the year and ensure proper drainage during spring and summer storms. This simple task can save you significant time and money in the long run.

You should really clean your gutters twice annually — once in the spring and once in the fall. Setting a recurring date like the spring equinox and fall equinox may help you remember. If you live somewhere with an abundance of trees or heavy storms that push debris into your gutter system more frequently, you might require a third cleaning sometime during the year to compensate. Maintaining this schedule helps ensure proper water flow through your gutters and prevents potential damage to your home.

To properly clean your gutters, you'll need some supplies: a sturdy ladder, gloves, a small scoop or trowel, a garden hose, and a bucket or tarp to collect debris. First, place your ladder on a level section of ground, making sure you have someone to help hold the ladder for you. Cleaning gutters can be dangerous, especially if you're inexperienced, so it's not advisable to do this alone. Next, scoop out any leaves and sticks in the gutters with gloved hands (this part will be messy) and drop them into the bucket or onto your tarp below. Once you've removed the debris, use the garden hose to flush out any remaining dirt from the gutters, making sure that the downspouts are flowing freely without any clogs. A handheld drain auger can be used to remove any dense downspout clogs. Finally, inspect the cleaned gutters for any damage, such as cracks or loose hangers.

Cleaning your gutters in the spring is important for damage prevention, setting your drainage system up for optimal performance during the wetter seasons. It can help you assess the need for other springtime tasks too. If you have trees in your yard, you'll want to keep them trimmed back to minimize the amount of leaves and twigs that can fall into your gutters. Since pests love to find shelter in attics, keeping branches away from your home makes it more difficult for them to access your roof and potentially find entry points. Removing dead and damaged tree limbs in early spring will also help your trees thrive. 

As you tackle your spring home maintenance, remember that if you live in a treed area and frequently find debris in your gutters, spring is the perfect opportunity to install gutter guards. This smart investment helps minimize the accumulation of springtime pollen, blossoms, and later leaf fall, reducing the need for frequent cleanings and protecting your home from costly water damage during spring and summer rains. Of course, you should still clean your gutters even if you have gutter guards. 

While cleaning your gutters in the spring, you might find that you need to hire a professional for a repair or total gutter replacement. Doing this in spring can save you money, since many businesses offer "early bird" pricing specials to encourage homeowners to book their services early in the season. If you're planning to sell a home, repairing or replacing gutters in spring can also increase your home's value just in time for peak selling season.