Overview: Gutter Cleaning & Repair
In Canada it's usually called eavestrough cleaning, and it earns its money in two short seasons: after the leaves come down and when the snow melts. A trough packed with wet leaves holds water. That water freezes, the ice pulls hangers loose, and the next melt pours down the wall instead of the downspout. It soaks the soil beside the foundation, and from there it finds the basement.
A proper visit is more than scooping. The crew clears the troughs by hand or with a vacuum, flushes each downspout until it runs clear, and takes the mess away. Then come the small fixes: sealing joints that drip, re-pitching a run that holds water, and swapping loose spikes for screw-in hangers.
Winter leaves its own marks. Ice in a full trough bends lengths out of pitch and pries them off the fascia, so a spring visit often turns into a repair job. We'd book the main clean for late fall, after the last leaves drop and before the first hard freeze.
Our listings show what each eavestrough company states on its own website. Pick your province, then your city, to find eavestrough crews that work your area.
Frequently asked questions
How often do gutters need clearing?
Twice a year suits most houses. The visit that counts comes late in the fall, once the leaves are down and before the troughs freeze. Miss it and they spend the winter full of ice. A spring clean clears what blew in over the winter and shows whether the joints and hangers survived the thaw. Under spruce or pine, plan on more, since needles drop all year.
Do gutter guards end the job for good?
No. Good guards keep leaves out and stretch the time between cleanings, but grit and seed pods still get through and settle in the bottom. Some styles also hold a ledge of snow and ice at the roof edge, so ask how they cope with a freeze and thaw. Guards are often sold at the door. In Ontario and British Columbia, you usually get ten days to cancel a contract signed at home.
What if the crew has no workers' compensation coverage?
In British Columbia, you could end up paying for it. WorkSafeBC says a homeowner who hires a business that isn't registered, or is behind on its premiums, could be held liable for premiums owed on the job. Its clearance letter is free online and shows whether a company is in good standing. Get one before the ladder goes up and again before the final payment. Other provinces run their own boards.
Where is the water supposed to go?
Away from the house, and far enough that it doesn't run straight back. In Toronto, disconnecting downspouts from the city sewer is mandatory for every property owner. The water has to drain away from your foundation without harming a neighbour's property or running onto the sidewalk. Where that's unsafe or can't be done, you apply to the city for an exemption. Other cities set their own rules, so ask before anyone cuts a pipe.
Is this a job worth doing myself?
For a bungalow in dry weather with someone footing the ladder, maybe. The trouble is timing. Eavestroughs need clearing just when conditions are worst: wet leaves, cold hands, and soft or frozen ground under the ladder. A two-storey house in November is a different job. Crews do it daily, bring standoffs that keep weight off the trough, and should carry liability insurance. Price the risk honestly.
