Twice a year usually covers it, but honestly, if you've got heavy tree cover, waiting that long can be risky. I've seen gutters packed solid in just a couple months... ever thought about gutter guards to cut down on the hassle?
Gutter guards can definitely help, but they're not always a perfect fix. I put some on a few years back, and while they cut down the cleaning quite a bit, smaller debris still sneaks through sometimes—especially pine needles. If you've got heavy tree cover, it's worth looking into the mesh-style guards; they're pricier but do a better job. Still, even with guards, I find myself checking gutters at least once a year just to be safe... beats climbing up there every couple months though.
Yeah, you're spot-on about the mesh guards. I've managed several properties with heavy pine coverage, and honestly, those needles are relentless... they squeeze through almost anything. Mesh-style guards definitely help cut down on maintenance, but I still schedule gutter checks at least once or twice a year. It's just one of those things—no perfect solution, but at least it saves us from climbing ladders every few months.
"those needles are relentless... they squeeze through almost anything."
Haha, tell me about it. I tried mesh guards last fall thinking I'd finally cracked the code. Fast forward to spring—still ended up fishing out a soggy mess of pine needles. Guess we're stuck with the ladder shuffle twice a year, huh?
Have you considered switching to foam inserts instead? I had the same headache with mesh guards—pine needles just slip right through. Foam gutter guards aren't perfect either, but they do a better job at keeping the finer stuff out. Still gotta check them occasionally, but it's more like a quick glance than a full-on ladder marathon twice a year. Might save you some hassle.
