Why gutters are worth taking seriously
Gutters have one job — moving roof water away from the house — and when they clog or fail, the damage shows up in the most expensive places: rotted fascia and soffits, stained siding, flooded basements, cracked foundations, and in cold climates the ice dams that push meltwater under shingles. A season of overflow can quietly cause thousands of dollars of harm, which is why twice-a-year cleaning (spring and fall, more often under heavy tree cover) is the cheapest insurance in home maintenance. The pros in this directory clean and repair gutters, install guards, and replace full systems.
On replacement: seamless aluminum is the modern standard, roll-formed to length on a truck in your driveway so the only joints are at corners and downspouts — far fewer places to leak than sectional gutters from a big-box store. If your home sheds a lot of water or sits under big roof planes, ask about oversized 6-inch gutters and extra downspouts; capacity is cheap at install time. Gutter guards are worth discussing too, with one honest caveat you will read in our FAQ below.
How much does gutter cleaning cost?
Most single-story homes run $100–$180 and two-story homes $150–$300, priced by linear footage, height, and how packed the gutters are. Many companies bundle minor tune-ups — resealing a joint, re-pitching a sagging run, reattaching a downspout — either included or for a small add-on. Ask whether they flush downspouts and haul the debris; the good ones do both.
How often should gutters be cleaned?
Twice a year is the standard: late spring and again after the leaves finish dropping in fall. Homes under pines or heavy canopy may need three or four visits, since needles and seed pods clog faster than leaves. If you see plants sprouting from the gutter or water sheeting over the edge in rain, you are overdue.
Are gutter guards worth it?
Quality micro-mesh guards genuinely cut cleaning frequency and keep out the worst debris — a real benefit on tall homes and under heavy trees. But no guard is maintenance-free: fine debris accumulates on top and systems still need occasional service, so treat any "never clean your gutters again, guaranteed forever" pitch — especially at a high-pressure in-home presentation price — with skepticism. Local installers often fit comparable mesh product for a fraction of the heavily advertised national systems.
What are seamless gutters and what do they cost?
Seamless gutters are formed on site from a coil of aluminum into single continuous runs custom-cut to your house, eliminating the mid-run joints where sectional gutters leak. Installed aluminum typically runs about $6–$15 per linear foot depending on region, gutter size, and home height — a typical house lands roughly $1,000–$3,000 for a full replacement with downspouts. Copper and steel cost more; aluminum is the sweet spot for most homes.