Gutters, Skylights & Exteriors
Gutter cleaning in San Jose before the storms arrive
A clogged gutter turns the first real storm into water behind the fascia, over the eaves and into the foundation. A clean-out before November costs far less than any of that.
What we treat
- Concrete and clay tile
- Composition shingle
- Flat, torch-down and TPO
- Spray foam
- Standing seam metal
Quick answer. Gutter cleaning in San Jose means scooping out leaves and sediment by hand, bagging the debris, flushing every downspout until water runs clear at the bottom, and checking hangers and seams along the way. The best time is October, after most leaves drop and before the November rains; a typical house takes one to two hours.
Updated September 2026
The job
What a proper clean-out includes
Blowing leaves off the roof is not gutter cleaning. The sediment at the bottom of the trough, fine grit from shingles and wet leaf mulch, is what blocks downspouts, and it has to be scooped out by hand.
While we are on the ladder we look at what the gutter tells us about the roof: heavy granule loss in the trough means aging shingles, and a sagging run points to rotted fascia.
Jobs this page covers
Fall clean-out before the rains
The fall visit is the one that matters most. Leaves are down, the gutters have had all summer to collect grit from the roof, and the first storm is weeks away. We clean every run by hand, bag the debris rather than dumping it in your beds, rinse the troughs, and note any seam, end cap or hanger that needs attention before the rain finds it. A photo of anything worth fixing comes with the visit. Houses under oaks or pines often need a second visit in early winter.
Downspout flushing
Downspouts clog at the elbows, where leaves pack into a plug. We flush each one from the top and watch it run at the bottom. A stubborn clog gets snaked or the elbow taken apart and cleared. Downspouts that run into underground drains are flushed until water appears at the outlet, because a blocked buried line sends everything back up and over the gutter in the first heavy rain. Where a buried line is crushed or root-bound, we tell you instead of flushing it for an hour.
Gutter guard cleaning
Gutter guards cut the work, but they do not end it. Fine debris mats on top of mesh guards and slides water over the edge, and seeds and grit still get underneath. We brush off the top, lift sections where needed to clear what got through, and check that the guards are still seated under the shingle edge. On screen guards that have sagged, we reset or replace the clips. If a guard design keeps clogging, we say so and suggest a type that suits the trees around the house.
Scope
What every gutter cleaning covers
The line items on every visit, whatever the size of the house.
- Hand removal of leaves and sediment
- Debris bagged and taken away
- Troughs rinsed toward the outlets
- Every downspout flushed and tested
- Underground drain outlets checked
- Hangers, seams and end caps inspected
- Photos of any repairs worth doing
What happens after you call
How a clean-out visit runs
- 1
Walk around
We look at the whole gutter system from the ground first.
- 2
Clean by hand
Every run scooped and bagged.
- 3
Rinse
Troughs rinsed toward the outlets.
- 4
Flush downspouts
Until water runs clear at the bottom.
- 5
Check hardware
Hangers, seams and end caps looked at.
- 6
Report
Photos of anything worth fixing.
What we see on San Jose roofs
San Jose's rain comes in short, heavy atmospheric-river bursts rather than steady drizzle, so a half-clogged gutter overflows in a way it might not elsewhere. In the Almaden Valley and the East Foothills near Alum Rock, the city's wildland-urban interface areas, the dry season adds a second reason to keep gutters clear: a trough full of dry leaves at the roof edge is exactly where wind-blown embers collect.
Cost
What gutter cleaning costs depend on
Cleaning is priced by the length of gutter and how hard it is to reach.
- Gutter length Measured around the house in linear feet.
- Stories Second-story runs need taller ladders and more setup.
- Debris load Years of buildup take longer than an annual clean.
- Downspouts Clogged elbows and buried drains add time.
- Guards Lifting and resetting guards adds labor.
- Roof access Steep or tile roofs limit where ladders can go.
Do it yourself or call us
Cleaning gutters yourself or having it done
A one-story house with a sound ladder is a reasonable DIY job; the rest is where people get hurt.
| Task | Doing it yourself | Having us do it |
|---|---|---|
| One-story gutters | Doable with a helper footing the ladder | Faster, plus a roof-edge check |
| Two-story gutters | Ladder falls are the real risk | Stabilizers and fall protection |
| Clogged downspouts | A hose from below rarely clears an elbow | Flushed from the top and snaked |
| Spotting roof problems | Easy to miss from a ladder | Photos of granule loss and loose flashing |
FAQ
Questions we get asked
Once a year in October for most homes; twice where tall trees overhang the roof.
Yes. Debris is bagged and taken away, not blown into your beds.
Yes, working from ladders at the eave rather than walking the tile.
No. They reduce it, but guards still need brushing and checking.
Small fixes like a hanger or a loose end cap, yes. Larger repairs are quoted separately.
Same category
Related roofing work
Gutter Installation
Seamless aluminum gutters and downspouts sized for atmospheric-river runoff.
Learn moreGutter Repair
Sagging runs, leaking seams and overflowing corners fixed.
Learn moreSkylight Installation
New skylights, replacements during a re-roof, and sun tunnels.
Learn moreFascia & Soffit Repair
Rotted fascia and soffit replaced, primed and painted.
Learn moreBook the clean-out before November
Tell us roughly how many stories and whether you have guards. We clean, flush and photograph anything that needs attention.