In Northwest Washington, fall is when gutters earn their keep. The maples and alders drop their leaves, the firs and cedars shed needles and cones, and the wet season starts in earnest — usually all within a few weeks. If your gutters go into winter already half full, the first long rain is when you find out.
Here’s what we see across Anacortes, Skagit County and the rest of our service area, and why late October into November is the right time to get your gutters and downspouts cleared.
Why clogged gutters are a bigger deal here
A gutter system has one job: move roof water away from your house. When it’s blocked, water spills over the edge and lands right next to your foundation, runs down your siding, or backs up under the roof edge. Clogged gutters lead to improper drainage, and that raises the risk of water getting into the house and damaging the foundation.
In a drier climate a clog might cause trouble a few times a year. In Western Washington, where rain can fall for days at a time from fall through spring, a clog is working against you all season long.
Signs your gutters need cleaning now
- Water pouring over the front of the gutter during rain instead of coming out the downspout
- Plants, moss or seedlings growing out of the gutter
- Gutters sagging or pulling away from the fascia under the weight of wet debris
- Downspouts that barely trickle, or gurgle and back up, in a steady rain
- Puddles, splash marks or washed-out soil along the foundation
- Dark streaks on the siding directly below the gutter line
Don’t forget the downspouts
A clean gutter trough doesn’t help if the downspout is packed. Needles and leaves wash down and compact at the elbows, and the water has nowhere to go. That’s why downspout clearing is included in every gutter cleaning estimate we give — it isn’t an add-on.
What a professional gutter cleaning includes
We follow a specific process to clear the whole system, not just scoop the top layer out of the trough:
- Full clean-out of the gutter runs
- Downspout clearing, included in the price
- A standard six-month warranty against premature clogs and gutter overflow (normal maintenance isn’t covered)
If your roof is holding moss or a layer of needles, it all ends up in the gutters with the next rain. Our roof sweep, gutter and downspout packages start at $250 and take care of the source and the gutters in one visit.
Tired of cleaning gutters every fall?
If you live under tall firs or cedars, you may be clearing your gutters more than once a season. That’s where gutter guards come in. We’re an authorized installer of LeafBlaster Pro gutter guards — stainless steel micro-mesh that lets water through while keeping leaves, pine needles and roof debris out. The material carries a 40-year manufacturer warranty, and our installation is backed by a 12-month workmanship guarantee.
Get a free gutter cleaning quote
We serve all of Skagit, Island, Whatcom and Snohomish Counties from our base in Anacortes. To get a quote quickly, call or text (360) 404-0517, or send the form with your name, phone and email, the service address, and a few photos of your gutters and roofline if you have them.
