Twice a year covers most homes: once in late autumn after the leaves are down, and once in spring after the melt. Under heavy tree cover, three or four times is more realistic. On an open lot with no overhanging branches, once a year is often enough.
Timing beats frequency
The late-autumn clearing is the important one. Going into winter with a gutter full of wet leaves means that debris freezes into a solid plug, meltwater has nowhere to go, and you get ice at the roof edge and water backing up under the shingles. One well-timed clearing in November prevents more damage than three badly timed ones.
Signs you are overdue
- Water spilling over the front edge during rain rather than running to the downspout.
- Plants growing in the gutter — the clearest possible signal.
- Staining or streaking down the siding below the gutter line.
- Downspouts that trickle or stay dry while it is pouring.
- Sagging sections, which means the trough is carrying the weight of wet debris.
- Water pooling near the foundation after rain.
Written by the Eavestroughing.ca team. Prices are indicative national ranges for planning, not quotes, and vary by province, roof and access. We connect homeowners with independent local contractors and do not perform work ourselves.