Spring Gutter Cleaning: What Winter Leaves Behind
Most people think of gutter cleaning as a fall job, and it is, but the spring clean matters just as much and is often overlooked. A Lower Mainland winter leaves more behind in your gutters than a few stray leaves, and clearing it in spring sets the house up for the year ahead. Here is what winter deposits and why spring is the time to deal with it.
What winter leaves behind
Over winter, gutters collect the last of the fall leaves that came down late, plus the grit and shingle particles washed off the roof by months of rain, windblown debris from winter storms, and the moss and seedlings that quietly establish in the damp. On homes under conifers, needles keep dropping all winter, so the gutters are often well loaded by spring.
There can also be the aftermath of any winter overflow or ice, sagging sections, displaced debris, and clues about where the system struggled, all worth spotting before the next wet season.
Why spring is the time
A spring clean clears all of that so the gutters run freely through spring rains and are ready long before next fall. It is also the natural time to check the system after winter, confirming the downspouts still drain and nothing pulled loose under the weight of wet debris and ice, and catching any early fascia issues before they worsen.
Pairing the spring gutter clean with the rest of a spring exterior refresh, the roof, siding and walkways, is efficient since the crew is working the exterior anyway.
The twice-a-year rhythm
Spring and late fall are the two anchor points of a sensible gutter schedule for most Lower Mainland homes, with a third clean where heavy tree cover demands it. The fall clean prepares for winter; the spring clean clears winter's leftovers and resets for the year. Skipping the spring clean leaves the system carrying winter debris right through to next fall.
If you only cleaned in fall, a spring clean is the missing half of keeping the house protected year-round. A quick look or photos are enough to quote it.