Gutter maintenance: schedule, lifespan and costs
Updated
Overview
Gutters are the troughs along the roof edge and the downspouts that carry the water down and away from the house. Their whole purpose is to put the roof's runoff somewhere other than the foundation, the siding and the basement. Most homes have seamless aluminum gutters, which are light, don't rust and go up in a day. They fail in just one way that matters: they clog. Everything else that goes wrong with gutters, from sagging to pulling away from the house, starts with water that couldn't drain.
Lifespan
Aluminum gutters last 20 to 30 years. Galvanized steel rusts sooner, and copper lasts longer than the house. What shortens the life of aluminum gutters is weight: wet leaves and standing water bend the troughs and pull the hangers out of the fascia, and ice in a cold climate does the same with more force. A ladder leaned against the gutter dents it, and a dented gutter holds water in the low spot.
What extends the life is keeping them empty, so they never carry more than rain, and keeping the fascia they hang from sound, so the hangers have something to hold. The signs gutters are near the end: seams that leak after resealing, troughs that sag between hangers even when empty, holes from corrosion, and sections that have pulled away and can't be refastened because the fascia behind them is rotten.
Maintenance schedule
The jobs that keep gutters doing their work, with the roof and tree jobs that feed into it.
| Task | How often |
|---|---|
| Clean the gutters | twice a year, in spring and late fall |
| Inspect the roof | once a year, and after any big storm |
| Trim trees and shrubs away from the house | once a year |
Replacement cost
Replacing the gutters costs $1,500 to $5,000 for seamless aluminum on an average home, installed, including downspouts. The range depends on the length of roof edge, the number of downspouts, and how many stories the installers have to work from. Copper costs several times more.
The repair-or-replace rule: a leaking seam, a loose hanger or a single crushed section is a repair. Gutters that sag everywhere, leak at every seam, or hang from a rotten fascia get replaced, and the fascia gets repaired first. If the gutters are past the middle of their lifespan and the repair list is long, new gutters cost about what a season of patching would.
Common problems
- Water spilling over the edge in rain: a clog, usually at the downspout. Clean the gutters and flush the downspouts.
- A section sagging or pulling away from the house: hangers that have let go under the weight of debris, or fascia that's rotted behind them. Empty the gutter, refasten the hangers, and check the fascia with a screwdriver.
- Leaks at the seams or the corners: the sealant has failed. Clean and dry the joint and reseal it with gutter sealant.
- Water pooling at the foundation after rain: a downspout that ends too close to the house, or one that's disconnected underground. Add an extension that carries the water well away.
- Leaves and branches filling the gutters every week: trees overhanging the roof. Trim trees and shrubs away from the house.
- Shingle granules collecting in the troughs: the roof is shedding its surface. Inspect the roof to see how far along it is.
FAQ
How long do gutters last?
Aluminum gutters last 20 to 30 years. Keeping them clean and the fascia sound is what gets them there.
How much do new gutters cost?
$1,500 to $5,000 for seamless aluminum on an average home, installed with downspouts. Copper costs several times that.
Are gutter guards worth it?
They cut the cleaning down but don't end it. Needles, seeds and grit still get through, and the guards themselves collect debris, so they need a check once a year.
Why do my gutters overflow when it rains?
A clog, nearly always at the downspout, or a gutter that's sagged so water can't reach the outlet. Clean and flush them, then check the slope.
Do I need gutters on my house?
Almost always. Without them, the roof's runoff lands at the foundation, soaks the soil, and finds its way into the basement and behind the siding.