How often should I have my gutters cleared?

Once a year is sufficient for most UK properties — late autumn after leaf fall is the most important window. If you have trees close to the roof, twice a year (spring and autumn) is safer. A quick visual check each season will tell you if they need attention sooner.

Can blocked gutters cause damp inside the house?

Yes — and this is one of the most common causes of unexplained damp patches on interior walls and ceilings. When gutters overflow repeatedly, water works its way behind the fascia and into the wall cavity. Clearing gutters annually is the simplest way to prevent this entirely.

Do you clear the downpipes as well as the gutters?

Yes — every job includes flushing the system through after clearing the gutter channels. If there is a blockage in a downpipe we clear that too. There is no point clearing the gutters and leaving a blocked downpipe to cause the same overflow further down the line.

Gutter Clearing

When Should You Clear Your Gutters?

Author: Carl Fitzgerald June 2026 3 min read

Blocked gutters are one of the most common causes of damp, water damage, and rotting fascias in UK homes — and most people don't realise there's a problem until the damage is already done.

Here's when to clear them, what happens if you leave them, and why leaving it costs more in the long run.

Why Gutters Block Up

Gutters sit directly beneath your roof, catching everything that comes off it — leaves, moss, dirt, and debris from nearby trees. Over time this builds up and stops water flowing freely to the downpipe. When that happens, water has nowhere to go except over the edge — or back behind the fascia.

In areas like Cannock, Burntwood, and the surrounding WS postcodes, autumn leaf fall and moss from ageing roof tiles are the two biggest causes of blocked gutters we see.

Gutters packed with moss and debris before clearing Cannock WS11 — Gutters packed with leaves, moss and compacted debris — typical of a property that's missed a couple of annual clears

Clean empty gutters after professional gutter clearing Cannock WS11 — The same gutters after professional clearing — completely cleared and flushed through

What Happens If You Leave It

Leaving gutters blocked even for one season can cause real problems.

Water overflowing at the front stains and degrades your fascias. Moisture trapped behind the fascia board causes rot and eventually structural damage. Damp patches on internal walls and ceilings are often traced back to nothing more than a blocked gutter. In winter, standing water in gutters freezes and expands, cracking joints and brackets.

The repair bills for these issues are always more expensive than a gutter clear.

When Should You Clear Your Gutters?

For most homes, twice a year is the right answer — once in late autumn after the leaves have fallen, and once in spring to clear any moss and debris that's built up over winter.

If you have large trees close to your property, or a lot of moss on your roof, you may need it done more frequently.

We Can Also Clear Gutters Above Conservatories

One job we're often called out for is clearing gutters that sit above a conservatory roof — an awkward spot that most people can't safely reach. As you can see below, we're set up to handle exactly that.

Blocked gutters above a conservatory roof before clearing Cannock — Blocked gutters above a conservatory roof — moss and debris compacted solid, causing overflow onto the conservatory panels below

Clean gutters above a conservatory roof after professional clearing Cannock — The same gutters after professional clearing — completely clear and flowing freely

How We Clear Gutters

We clear gutters using a specialist gutter vacuum system, which means no ladders against your gutters and no risk of damage to the guttering itself. The vac pulls out all the debris from ground level, then we flush through to confirm water is flowing freely to the downpipe. The job is done cleanly and efficiently with no mess left behind.

If you're in Cannock, Burntwood, Hednesford, Heath Hayes, or anywhere across the WS6, WS7, WS11 or WS12 postcodes, give us a call for a free no-obligation quote.

Call 01543 621110 or WhatsApp us today.

GUTTER CLEARING NEAR YOU

Cannock
Burntwood
Hednesford
Heath Hayes
Wimblebury
Norton Canes
Cheslyn Hay
Great Wyrley
Chase Terrace
Bridgtown
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