How to Clean and Maintain Your Gutters and Downspouts

Gutters are the unsung heroes of your home's exterior, quietly diverting gallons of rainwater away from your foundation. When they clog with leaves, needles, and sediment, that water has nowhere to go but over the edge, potentially leading to siding rot, basement flooding, or landscape erosion. A clean gutter system keeps your roof edges dry and your home's structural integrity intact. Performing this maintenance twice a year—once in late autumn and again in late spring—is the most effective insurance policy you can buy for your property. By dedicating a few hours to the task, you prevent the heavy buildup that causes sagging and separation. Done well, your gutters will look unobtrusive and flow freely, handling even the heaviest downpours without a single drop hitting your foundation.

  1. Anchor Your Ladder Safely. Set up your ladder on firm, level ground, ensuring it is angled correctly at a one-to-four ratio. Use a ladder stabilizer or stand-off to prevent the ladder from crushing the gutters or putting pressure on the roof shingles.
  2. Clear Leaves and Twigs. Work in small sections, moving the ladder as you go. Use a gutter scoop or a plastic trowel to remove leaves and twigs, placing the waste into a bucket hooked onto the side of the ladder.
  3. Push Silt Toward Downspouts. Once the major debris is removed, use a garden hose with a high-pressure nozzle to flush the remaining silt toward the downspouts. Start at the end furthest from the downspout and work your way toward the outlet.
  4. Blast Out Downspout Clogs. If water doesn't flow freely out the bottom of the downspout, you have a blockage in the vertical pipe. Insert the hose into the top of the downspout and use high-pressure bursts to dislodge the clog, or use a plumber's snake to break it up.
  5. Seal Leaking Joints Now. Let the gutters dry completely before inspecting for drips or holes. Apply a high-quality gutter sealant to any joints or seams that showed water leakage during your flush test.
  6. Tighten All Brackets. Check for loose spikes or brackets that have pulled away from the fascia board. Replace any rusted fasteners with new, coated deck screws to ensure the gutter remains tight against the house.