Gutter Cleaning Cost (2023 Analysis)

Studies show that almost 65% of American citizens own their homes. If you’re a homeowner, it can feel overwhelming to keep up with the high amount of maintenance the average home needs. How can you manage the time, money, and effort needed to perform gutter maintenance or replacement?

Thankfully, gutter cleaning cost isn’t as high as many expect it to be. If you’re curious about how to clean gutters, we’re here to help. Read on to learn more about gutter maintenance and the low cost of completing the task.

Consequences of Clogged Gutters

To start, why bother cleaning your gutters? Many people take an “out of sight, out of mind” approach to some parts of their home. If you’ve gone without cleaning your gutters a few years and haven’t had any consequences, you may feel comfortable overlooking the task.

Here are the three primary issues with letting your home gutters stay clogged.

Leaks

Water isn’t the only thing that goes through gutters. Your gutters will catch material from nearby trees or plant matter carried on the wind. Leaves, sticks, twigs, and even insects are often caught in your gutters.

All of this matter will create a considerable weight, which can strain your gutters over time. As a result, the gutter may buckle or separate from the side of your housing.

When this occurs, leaks often occur as the weatherproofing tears. These leaks can quickly magnify the damage and cost of repairs. Keep your gutters clean to ensure the weight of the gutter never causes issues.

Ruined Roofing

Some gutters are built into the side of a roof, while others are on the roof itself. These gutters are useful as a watershed to direct water off of the roof and into the primary gutters.

However, these gutters are more vulnerable to the leaking issue stated above. In severe cases, dirt and plant matter can stay caught on your shingles and gutters. Over months, the weight and moisture will eat into your roofing.

When this happens, leaks will become considerably worse. Moreover, you’ll have to spend much more to fix this problem.

Damaged Gutters

Even if you manage to escape leaks or damaged roofing, you won’t escape damage to your gutters. Letting your gutters stay dirty and clogged will eventually ruin them.

Rainwater and strong winds carry dirt into your gutters. Over time, this leaves a layer of mud that will impact the effectiveness of your gutter. Clogged gutters can corrode, buckle, or otherwise break.

Gutter Cleaning Cost

Now that we know more about the hazards of a dirty gutter, what’s the gutter cleaning cost? Most homeowners are relieved to see that it’s not as expensive as you may assume.

If you have a professional team clean your gutters, you’re at the mercy of local prices. The national average is about 80 cents per linear foot.

A common house has about 200 feet of gutters. Such a home would cost roughly $160 to have the gutters cleaned and maintained. You should expect taxes, additional fees, and more factors to increase the cost.

In larger homes, the gutters are more difficult to reach, increasing the price. Single-story homes will cost less than the above-stated average. 

How to Clean Your Gutters

Not interested in hiring someone for your gutter maintenance? Cleaning your gutters is far from a difficult task, and while it’s easier to leave it to professionals, you can likely handle the job yourself. Here are the necessary steps for performing your gutter maintenance.

Safety First

Your first step is to ensure safety. Many people underestimate the risks that being on a ladder or roof can pose.

A misstepped foot can cause you to fall from the roof or ladder. An unfortunate accident at this height can lead to broken limbs and severe injury, proving fatal.

As such, your first step is to wear the right footwear. Do not wear something that provides unsteady footing, such as heeled shoes or sneakers without a good grip. We suggest something sturdy with a grip that will help you keep your footing.

You should also wear gloves, as there’s no telling what’s sitting in your gutter. It’s common to find insect nests, sharp sticks, and even snakes.

Finally, we suggest a long-sleeved shirt and glasses. These will prevent scratches and errant material from landing in your eye.

Secure Elevation

You’ll need a ladder to reach your gutters. When you deploy your ladder, make sure that it’s on steady footing.

Wobble the ladder to see if it will shift when you start climbing. Press it down into the ground if you place it over grass or dirt. If it’s on concrete, ensure it’s on even ground so it doesn’t tip or wobble.

Necessary Tools

With gloves and a ladder, you have all the tools you need. Make sure your gloves are thick enough that they won’t tear or break if you begin pulling leaves and sticks out of your gutters.

However, depending on what types of gutters are in your home, you may find other tools useful. A small garden spade can help you reach down into gutters and easily shovel matter out.

You may have some gutters near the roofing that you can’t stand on, such as a patio awning. In that case, you should use a long instrument such as a garden hoe or rake to reach the gutter. Make sure not to use too much force so you don’t damage the gutter.

Performing Gutter Maintenance

Gutter cleaning cost factors include your location, how large your gutters are, and any necessary repairs. You can perform gutter maintenance yourself with the right safety gear and a ladder on steady, even ground. Ensure that you prioritize safety, and don’t hesitate to contact professionals for aid.

For more information, be sure to browse our extensive site. You can also contact us to see how we can help you tackle your gutters at a low cost.