Twice a year for most Northern Virginia homes: once in spring after the seeds and pollen drop, and once in late fall after the leaves are down, usually late November into December. Homes under heavy tree cover, especially oaks and pines, usually need a third cleaning.
By the Roofing & Gutter Ethics team. Updated November 2026.
Why twice a year
Gutters fill in two big waves here. In spring, maple helicopters, oak tassels, pollen and seed pods pack the troughs. In fall the leaves come down. A gutter cleaned in early October will often be full again by Thanksgiving, which is why timing matters as much as frequency.
When to schedule
- Spring: April to May, after the trees have dropped their seeds.
- Late fall: after most leaves are down, before the first hard freeze. A clean gutter going into winter is what keeps meltwater draining instead of feeding ice dams.
- Third visit: mid fall or summer for homes under heavy canopy or pine trees, which drop needles year round.
Rather not climb the ladder? We clear every trough by hand, flush every downspout and send photos of the whole roofline.
Book a gutter cleaningSigns you are overdue
- Water spilling over the front of the gutter in a normal rain
- Plants or seedlings growing in the gutter
- A gutter that sags or pulls away between hangers
- Stains or peeling paint on the fascia or siding below
- Water pooling at the foundation or a damp basement
What a proper cleaning includes
Clearing the trough is only part of it. A proper cleaning clears every trough by hand, flushes every downspout until it runs clear, checks hangers and pitch, and looks at the roof edge. We send photos of the whole roofline so you can see what we saw. Pressure washing a gutter clean is a mistake: it drives the gunk back into the wood behind the gutter, where it sits and rots.
The easiest way to stay on schedule is the Annual Gutter Cleaning Plan: we come back on schedule and you do not have to remember.