How often should you clean gutters in South Carolina?
Clean gutters twice a year in the Midlands: once after the spring pollen and seed drop, and once after the fall leaf drop. Homes under heavy pine cover often need a third cleaning, because pines shed needles year-round. If you are cleaning more than twice a year, gutter guards usually pay for themselves.
The Midlands calendar
- Late spring. Oak tassels, pollen, maple seeds and the first pine straw. Clean before the summer thunderstorm season starts.
- Late fall. The main leaf drop, plus a fresh load of pine needles. Clean before winter rain and any tropical-season remnants.
- After a storm. Wind brings down limbs, leaves and shingle grit all at once. A quick check after a big blow saves an overflow the next week.
Signs you are already overdue
- Water sheeting over the front edge in rain, or a waterfall at an inside corner.
- Streaks or peeling paint on the fascia below the gutter.
- Plants growing out of the gutter. Seeds germinate in the wet debris.
- Sag in the middle of a run from the weight of wet debris.
- Mulch washed out or a trench cut in the soil along the foundation.
What a proper cleaning includes
Hand cleanout of every run, bagged and hauled away. A flush of every downspout, because a clogged elbow is the most common overflow cause we find. An inspection of hangers, corners, pitch and fascia while we are up there, with a photo if we see something. And cleanup below. Details on our gutter cleaning page.
Why it matters on clay soil
Much of the Midlands drains slowly. Overflow lands in a line along the foundation and stays there, which is how crawlspace moisture and settling start. Keeping gutters open is the cheapest foundation protection you can buy.