7 simple tips for keeping your gutters clean

Sam White
3 hours ago
3 min read

Gutters are easy to forget about, right up until they overflow down the side of your house. Clear, free flowing gutters quietly do an important job. They carry rainwater away from your walls, roofline and foundations. When they block, that water has to go somewhere, and it usually ends up causing damp, staining and repairs that cost far more than a bit of upkeep.

Here are seven straightforward ways to keep your gutters in good shape, whether you look after a home or a commercial building in Banbury or the wider Oxfordshire area.

1. Check them regularly

You do not need to climb up to keep an eye on your gutters. After heavy rain, step outside and look up. Water spilling over the edge, plants sprouting from the gutter, or sections that sag are all signs that something needs attention. A quick look every couple of months, and after any big storm, will catch most problems early.

2. Clear debris at least twice a year

For most properties, clearing gutters once in autumn and once in spring keeps them flowing. Autumn is the big one, as falling leaves are the most common cause of blockages. A spring clear deals with blossom, seeds and anything that has built up over winter.

3. Keep an eye on downpipes and outlets

Blockages often form where the gutter meets the downpipe. If water is pooling in one spot or draining slowly, the outlet is usually the culprit. Clearing the run of gutter is only half the job, the downpipes need to be flowing freely too.

4. Trim back overhanging branches

If you have trees close to the house, their leaves will end up in your gutters. Keeping branches trimmed back reduces how much debris lands on the roof and washes into the gutters, which means fewer clears and less chance of a blockage.

5. Consider gutter guards

Gutter guards and brushes sit inside or over the gutter to stop leaves getting in while letting water through. They are not a fit and forget solution, and they still need occasional checking, but on a leafy plot they can genuinely reduce how often the gutters need clearing.

6. Watch for the warning signs

You can spot a lot from the ground. Streaks or green staining down the outside of the gutter, damp patches on the wall below, water pooling near the foundations, or birds and plants making a home in the gutter all point to a blockage building up. The sooner you act, the smaller the job.

7. Know when to call in a professional

Most gutter problems are straightforward, but the height is not. A large share of DIY accidents at home involve ladders, and wet gutters and roofs make that worse. A professional team can clear your gutters safely from the ground using a high reach vacuum system, with no ladders leaning against the house, and can spot early signs of damage while they are at it.

Keeping on top of it

A little regular attention goes a long way. Clear gutters protect your property from some of the most expensive water damage there is, and staying ahead of it is far cheaper than putting it right afterwards.

At Aston Property Maintenance, we clear gutters for homes and businesses across Banbury and Oxfordshire, safely from the ground, and can install or repair guttering while we are there. If your gutters are overdue a clear, request a free, no obligation quote and we will take care of it.