Seasonal gutter cleaning is just as important as regular home maintenance. Ignoring your gutters means you can end up with a whole lot more than cosmetic issues. We’re talking water damage, foundation problems, pest infestation, and even a shorter lifespan for your roof. At Maupin Roofing, we’ve seen what happens when homeowners put off gutter maintenance. So, let’s go over why you need to keep up with regular gutter cleaning, what happens if you don’t, and how to keep them in their best condition through every season.
Why You Shouldn’t Skip Regular Gutter Cleaning
Your gutter system has one job: to keep water moving away from your roof and home. If you’ve got clogged gutters, it will lead to all kinds of costly repairs due to the water going to places you definitely don’t want it.
Water Damage
Gutter clogs allow water to overflow and spill down the side of your house, soaking everything in its path. This can lead to:
Rotting fascia boards (the part your gutters attach to)
Stained and damaged siding
Leaks in your walls that can turn to mold growth
Basement flooding if water pools near your foundation
Your Foundation Is at Risk
Water pooling around your foundation is a recipe for disaster. It seeps into cracks, expands when it freezes, and slowly weakens your home’s structural integrity. The worst case scenario is that your foundation shifts or cracks—and, needless to say, fixing a damaged foundation is not cheap.
Pests Love Dirty Gutters
Clogged and neglected gutters are magnets for pests. Mosquitoes, ants, rodents, and even birds love the damp, sheltered environment that clogged gutters provide. Without thorough cleaning, your rain gutters will end up with debris buildup, and eventually, pests will make a home in them.
Roof Damage
Your roofing materials, including your roof shingles, depend on proper drainage to stay in great condition. If water starts backing up, it will start seeping under your shingles, causing rot, roof leaks, and costly repairs. And if you’re dealing with ice dams in winter? That’s even worse as the low temperature and weight can lead to further complications.
Gutter System Maintenance Guide: What You Need to Do Year-Round
Gutters need attention throughout the year and not just when you notice water pouring over the sides. Each season comes with its own challenges, especially if there are extreme weather events. So, we’ve put together a gutter maintenance schedule and checklist to give you a starting point and help you understand what cleaning gutters per season looks like.
Spring
Spring season in Oklahoma is usually synonymous with storm season—and that means lots of wind, rain, and debris buildup in your gutters. Even if you were busy cleaning gutters in the fall, there’s a good chance you’ll still find:
Leftover leaves and twigs from the winter season
Mud and dirt buildup from spring storms
Sagging gutters
Clogged downspouts due to gutter debris
Early signs of plant growth
Spring Gutter Maintenance Checklist
☑ Clear out any debris accumulation that’s built up over the winter.
☑ Check for sagging or loose gutters because strong winds can loosen gutter brackets.
☑ Flush down your downspouts with a garden hose to make sure they’re not clogged.
☑ Inspect for leaks or rust spots, especially if you have an older gutter system.
Additionally, if you’ve got a lot of trees around your house, your gutters might need more frequent cleanings—at least more than once during spring. Heavy rain can knock down more debris than you’d think. So don’t forget to include your gutters in your spring cleaning!
Summer
Intense heat and strong winds during the summer season can definitely put your gutters to the test. To make sure you don’t find your gutters clogged in the middle of a torrential downpour, here’s a checklist to follow:
Summer Gutter Maintenance Checklist
☑ Carry out mid-summer checkups. If you happen to have a lot of trees, do a quick cleaning to remove fallen leaves and twigs.
☑ Look for signs of animal nests. After all, birds and rodents love to settle in over the summer.
☑ Trim back overhanging branches so falling leaves don’t drop directly into your gutters during summer storms.
☑ Test your downspouts. A quick water test will show if they’re draining properly or if there’s debris accumulation somewhere that needs to be cleared out.
Fall
This is the big one. Fall is when leaves, acorns, pine needles, and other debris end up clogging your gutters. If you only clean your gutters once a year, then fall is definitely the best time to do it.
Fall Gutter Maintenance Checklist
☑ Clean out leaves and debris regularly. You can use tools like a gutter scoop. Depending on how many trees you have, you might need to do this once to completely clear out debris-filled gutters.
☑ Install gutter guards to keep larger, falling debris out and prevent gutter overflow. They won’t eliminate the need for cleaning, but they help make cleaning gutters easier.
☑ Make sure downspouts are directing water away from your home.
☑ Do a final inspection before winter to catch any damage before freezing temperatures set in.
Winter
Winter months can have occasional freezing temperatures, but other than that, winter in Oklahoma is generally mild. The biggest winter gutter problem? Ice dams.
Ice dams are created when warm air from your attic melts the snow buildup on your roof, and that melted snow slides down to your gutters or roof edges and refreezes there. This creates a solid barrier of ice that blocks the drainage system and forces water under your shingles, leading to leaks, rot, and even major structural damage at times.
Winter Gutter Maintenance Checklist
☑ Make sure your attic is properly insulated because this prevents uneven roof temperatures.
☑ Clear out all debris before winter so nothing is left to trap moisture.
☑ Watch for icicles—if they’re forming around your gutters, it could be a sign of poor drainage.
☑ Use a roof rake to clear snow and ice buildup. Be careful when you remove ice dams, and remember not to use a ladder on icy surfaces.
What Happens If You Don’t Keep Your Gutters Clear and Well-Maintained?
What can you expect if you fail to stick to a regular gutter maintenance schedule?
Your gutters fill up with leaves, dirt, and standing water.
Overflowing water spills down your walls, leading to peeling paint and stains, and even soaking into your foundation.
Your basement floods, your roof starts leaking, and your wooden fascia boards begin rotting.
Mosquitoes and rodents move in and set up a home in your clogged gutters.
Your home starts looking neglected, and your repairs start piling up.
Maupin Roofing Installs and Repairs a Wide Range of Gutter Types
Seasonal gutter maintenance can definitely be a hassle, but skipping it isn’t worth the risk. Our team offers exterior services, including professional gutter cleaning services, so your home remains well-maintained even if you’re too busy to clean the gutters yourself.
Check out our website or use our contact form to get started.
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