What the visit covers
Every run of gutter cleared by hand, downspouts flushed until water runs clear at the bottom, elbows and outlets checked for blockages, and the slope of each run checked so water drains to the outlet instead of pooling. Debris is bagged and taken away, not left on the lawn.
I also look at the roof edge while I am there, because that is where debris in the gutter does its damage.
Repairs I do at the same time
Loose spikes and hangers refastened or replaced with hidden hangers, dripping seams resealed, separated downspout joints reconnected, and sagging runs re-pitched. Where a gutter is beyond saving, I replace the section. Fascia that has started to rot behind the gutter gets flagged and, if you want, replaced.
Most of these are ten-minute jobs when caught early.
Trees and timing
Houses under pines, eucalyptus, pepper trees and palms fill gutters fastest, and the Santa Ana winds in fall dump a whole season of debris in one night. Clear in late fall after the winds and again in spring after the storms. If you have heavy tree cover, add a midsummer check.
Gutter guards suit some trees and not others; I have a post on that in the blog.
Why it matters to the roof
Water held in a gutter sits against the eave course of roofing and the fascia. Over a few winters the fascia rots, the gutter pulls away, and the eave decking goes soft. On tile roofs, an overflowing gutter also splashes back under the eave tiles. All of that is roof repair work that starts with a clogged gutter.
The foundation and the stucco suffer too, but the roof edge is what I get called for.
As part of the yearly plan
Gutter clearing is the first item in my roof protection plan, alongside debris removal from the roof surface, a flashing and sealant check, skylight cleaning and an attic look. If you want it all handled every fall without booking each piece, that plan is the way to do it.
As a one-off, it is still worth doing; just do it before the rain, not after.
What to have ready
An outside tap that works, a clear path around the house for the ladder, and any dogs inside for the visit. If the downspouts drain into underground pipes, tell me, because those need a different approach to clear and a blocked one will back the whole system up.