How often should gutters be cleared, and what counts as clearing?
Short answer. Clearing means making sure water can flow: checking outlets and downspouts and pulling out whatever is blocking them, which is worth doing after every major storm and any time you see overflow. A full cleaning, where every run is emptied and flushed, happens on a schedule, usually twice a year or more under heavy trees.
When to clear
- After any storm that brought down leaves, twigs or limbs.
- Whenever you see water pouring over the front of a gutter during rain.
- When a downspout dribbles instead of gushing in a hard rain.
- After spring pollen and oak tassel season, which can cap an outlet in days.
How to clear a clog
- Start at the outlet. Most clogs form where the gutter drains into the downspout. Pull the debris plug out by hand with gloves.
- Flush the downspout. Run a garden hose into the top. If water backs up, the clog is in the elbow or the bottom bend.
- Work the elbows. Tap the downspout to loosen packed debris, or remove the bottom elbow, which is usually held by a couple of screws, and clear it.
- Snake it if needed. A plumber's snake or a hose nozzle pushed up from the bottom can break a stubborn plug.
- Check the underground line. If the downspout drains into a buried pipe, run water and confirm it exits at the far end. Silted lines are common in Georgia clay.
Making clearing rarer
Outlet strainers, the small wire baskets that sit in the downspout opening, stop large debris but can clog themselves; check them often or use guards instead. Larger 3 by 4 inch downspouts clog far less than the 2 by 3 size. Guards that keep debris out of the trough mean less to clear. If you are clearing the same outlet every few weeks, that run needs a guard or a bigger downspout. More in gutter sizing and guards and our maintenance checklist.