How we clean
By hand, out of the trough, into a bag. Blowers move debris from your gutter into your landscaping and don't touch the wet sludge at the bottom, which is the part that actually holds water.
Then every downspout gets flushed with a hose until it runs clear. A gutter can look spotless from a ladder and still be useless if the drop is packed at the elbow.
We take the debris with us. No pile left at the side of the house.
What we look at while we're up there
An empty gutter is the only time you can see what's really going on. We check hanger spacing and whether any have pulled, look at the miters for weeping, check the pitch by where the water sits when we flush, and put eyes on the fascia and drip edge.
You get told what we found. Sometimes that's nothing, and we say that too.
How often, honestly
Twice a year covers most homes here — late spring after the maples drop their seeds, and late fall after the last leaves come down.
Under mature oaks, make it three. Oaks drop tassels in May, acorns in September, and leaves in November, and each of those is its own clog.
Pine changes the math entirely. Needles are small enough to slip through most screens and they mat into a felt layer that water beads off.
The case for stopping the cycle
If you're paying for three cleanings a year, guard pays for itself in about three or four years and takes the ladder out of the equation permanently.
We're not going to push it on a house with no trees over it. On a Kirkwood or Wildwood lot, the math isn't close.
What a proper cleaning includes
We clean gutters by hand, bag the debris instead of throwing it onto your beds, and clear the roof edge where leaves pile up behind the gutter. Every downspout is flushed and checked at the bottom to make sure water actually comes out. Where a downspout runs into a buried line, we run water to see whether the line is moving. When we're done, you get photos of the gutters and anything worth knowing about.
Problems we catch while we're up there
A cleaning is the cheapest inspection a gutter will ever get. We look for water standing in a low spot, hangers that have backed out, corners that are starting to leak, soft fascia behind the gutter, and gaps where water runs down the wall. We also note heavy shingle granules in the trough, which can be an early sign of an aging roof. Small fixes can often be done the same day. Anything larger gets written up so you can decide.
Why ladder-and-hose cleaning goes wrong
Leaning a ladder on a gutter bends the front edge and loosens hangers. Pressure washers can blow out corner sealant and push debris down into the downspout, where it packs tight. And ladder falls are a real risk on two-story houses and wet roofs. If you'd rather not be cleaning this every year, gutter guards are worth a look.
A St. Louis gutter cleaning calendar
For most homes, two cleanings a year cover it: one in late spring, after oak tassels and maple seeds have dropped, and one in late fall, after the leaves are down. Homes under pines or sweetgums, or houses that sit lower than surrounding trees, often need a third. It's also worth a look after a big summer storm brings down twigs and leaves all at once. Our guides on spring cleaning and how often to clean go deeper.
What happens when gutters stay clogged
Water spills over the front or back of the gutter, soaks the fascia and soffit, and drops right next to the foundation. In winter, a packed gutter freezes solid and its weight pulls hangers out of the wood. Standing water breeds mosquitoes in summer. None of it happens overnight, but each season a clog is left in place makes the eventual repair bigger.
Cleaning on two-story and steep homes
Two-story colonials in West County, tall city brick homes and steep-roofed houses are exactly the jobs where DIY cleaning gets dangerous. Our crews set ladders without resting them on the gutter, use stabilizers that bear on the wall or roof, and use fall protection where the pitch calls for it. Upper gutters on these homes often take water from the whole upper roof and fill fastest, so they're also the ones most likely to overflow onto lower roofs and porches. Getting them cleaned on schedule protects the roof edges below as well.
Questions people ask
How much is gutter cleaning?
It depends on the size of the home, the number of stories, and how bad it is. A single-story ranch is straightforward. We quote it before we come out.
Do you clean gutters in winter?
Yes, weather permitting. Late fall and early winter are our busiest cleaning weeks, right after the leaves finish dropping.
Will you get on a three-story house?
Yes. Steep or tall work sometimes needs different equipment, which we'll tell you when we quote.
Do you clean the downspouts too?
Always. Flushing the downspouts is half the job — a clean trough over a packed drop still overflows.
Can I skip cleaning if I have guards?
Mostly. Micro-mesh keeps the trough clear, but the mesh surface still needs a rinse every couple of years, and valleys where roof planes meet can build up debris on top.
When should I book a fall gutter cleaning in St. Louis?
After most of your trees have dropped their leaves, which in St. Louis is often late November. Lots with heavy oak cover sometimes need two visits. Our fall cleaning guide explains the timing.
Do you clean gutters that have guards on them?
Yes. We lift or brush the guards as the type allows, clear what got under them, and check that the downspouts are running.
Can you clear a clogged underground drain line?
We flush and test it. If a buried line is crushed or disconnected, we'll show you where and quote the fix.
Free estimate
We measure, we look at the fascia, and you get a number in writing.
Talk to a real St. Louis gutter company
Third generation, family-run since 1947. Somebody picks up, day or night.