Why Clean Gutters Protect Your Whole Home

Gutters are easy to forget — until they fail. Their only job is to move water away from your house, and when they can't, that water finds its way into the most expensive parts of your home. Here's why this humble system matters so much.

What clogged gutters actually cause

• Foundation damage. Overflowing water pools at the base of your home and can crack or shift the foundation.
• Basement flooding. Water that should drain away instead seeps into basements and crawl spaces.
• Rotted fascia and soffits. Standing water rots the wood the gutters attach to.
• Roof damage. Backed-up water can wick under shingles and into the roof deck.
• Pest nesting. Debris-filled gutters are a favorite home for insects and rodents.

A gutter cleaning costs a small fraction of foundation repair or basement waterproofing. This is one of the highest-return maintenance tasks a homeowner can do.

How often to clean

Twice a year is the general rule — spring and fall. If you have many trees nearby, you may need to do it more often, especially after leaves drop.

Consider gutter guards

If climbing a ladder twice a year isn't realistic, quality gutter guards can dramatically reduce how often you need to clean and keep water flowing freely through storms.

The bottom line

Clean gutters are cheap; the damage they prevent is not. Put two cleanings a year on your calendar, and if your home is surrounded by trees, get a quote on gutter guards to save yourself the hassle.