Is it worth paying for gutter cleaning?

Paying for gutter cleaning is usually worth it when the gutters are above one storey, wires run near the eaves, the ground under them is steep or soft, or you are not steady on a ladder. On single-storey eaves over firm, level ground, with a sound ladder and a helper, doing it yourself is reasonable. The one choice that is rarely worth it is not cleaning at all.

What skipping it costs

Gutters move a lot of water. A few inches of rain on a roof can produce several thousand gallons of runoff,^[1] and that water can saturate the soil around the house and wick through the foundation, which can lead to mold, rot and indoor air problems.^[1] The Northern Virginia Soil and Water Conservation District, in Fairfax County, lists gutters that need cleaning or are undersized among the usual causes of wetness and erosion near foundation walls.^[2]

There are smaller costs too. Fairfax County's Health Department notes that roof gutters are among the places that hold the standing water mosquitoes breed in.^[3] Leaves and pine needles left in gutters can dry out and become fuel for wind-borne embers or flames from a wildfire,^[4] which matters for houses that back onto woods.

Against those, a cleaning is a small, regular cost. The district says gutters should be cleaned at least once a year, and more often with trees close to the house,^[2] so the real question is who does those cleanings each year.

When doing it yourself makes sense

Doing it yourself is reasonable when every eave you need to reach is one storey up, the ground below is firm and level, no wires run near the gutters, and you have a ladder that is the right length and in good shape.

The ladder rules are the whole job. The basics: the top two rungs are not for standing on, you keep three points of contact, and you keep your body between the rails without overreaching.^[5] For a straight or extension ladder, the base goes out a quarter of the height to the point of support, and the bottom is blocked or footed by a second person.^[5] If you can follow all of that on every section, the rest is scooping and flushing; see how to clean gutters safely from a ladder.

When paying makes sense

Two storeys or more. A second-storey gutter needs a long extension ladder that is heavy to raise and move, and a fall from it is worse. This is where most homeowners are better off hiring.

Wires near the eaves. The service wire to the house often reaches the wall near an eave. Metal ladders must not be used on or near electrical wires, while fiberglass ladders are electrically non-conductive,^[5] and a crew can bring the right ladder and plan its positions around the wire instead of leaning past it.

Higher-voltage lines are a different case. Virginia's Overhead High Voltage Line Safety Act applies to people working in a trade or business: no one doing paid work may bring a person, tool or ladder within 10 feet of an overhead high voltage line unless the danger has been guarded against.^[6] The Act defines an overhead high voltage line as one carrying more than 600 volts.^[7] That rule binds the crew you hire, so hiring out does not by itself make a section near such a line workable. If a gutter runs within reach of a high voltage line, ask each company how it will handle that section before you book.

Lots of trees. The district advises cleaning more often than once a year when trees are close to the house,^[2] and each extra cleaning is another afternoon on the ladder.

Guards, steep yards and landscaping. Guards that must come off, slopes, decks and beds under the eaves all make ladder setup harder.

You want someone to look. A good crew notices sagging sections, loose hangers, leaking seams and soft fascia while it is up there, before they turn into a repair. Ask for photos.

How to hire well

Ask for local references and proof of liability insurance, and get the scope in writing: gutters, downspouts flushed, debris hauled, photos. Virginia's Board for Contractors advises homeowners to get at least three written bids for the same work, check references, and verify a business address and phone number.^[9] It also warns: "A license number in an advertisement or on a business card does not necessarily mean the contractor's license is valid."^[9] Check any licence number on DPOR's lookup.

Virginia's contractor licence classes are set by the value of construction, removal, repair or improvement work: a Class C contractor's licence covers construction, removal, repair or improvement jobs with a single contract over $1,000 and under $30,000,^[8] and Virginia law requires all licensed contractors to provide a written contract for residential work.^[9] For checking a licence step by step, see how to check if a contractor is licensed in Virginia. For what quotes depend on, see what gutter cleaning costs in Virginia.

If someone knocks on the door offering a cleaning and you agree there, Virginia's Home Solicitation Sales Act generally means you may cancel until midnight of the third business day after the sale, and the seller must give you a written notice of that right.^[10] You do not have to decide on the doorstep.

Stop and call a pro if

• The gutters are on a second storey or higher, or reaching any section would mean getting on the roof.
• A ladder position would bring you or the ladder near a power line or the service wire.
• The ground below the eaves is steep, soft or icy.
• Gutters sag, leak, overflow when clean, or have pulled away from the fascia; see why gutters overflow.

Browse gutter cleaning on Loclis, look up exterior pros around Blacksburg, or read the other exterior answers. If the gutters need more than a cleaning, describe the gutter repair once and licensed local businesses quote it.