Ha, I feel your pain on the tennis ball—last year I found a frisbee wedged in mine. Still not sure if it was kids or ambitious squirrels. Now I just schedule gutter checks right before rainy seasons...lesson learned.
I'm still figuring this out myself since it's my first year dealing with gutters. Do you find once a year is enough, or should I be checking more often? Right now, I'm leaning toward twice—maybe spring and fall—but I'm not even sure if that's overkill or not enough. Also, any tips on what to look for besides obvious stuff like frisbees and tennis balls? I climbed up there last weekend and found a bunch of leaves and some weird mossy stuff growing...is that normal, or am I already behind on maintenance?
Twice a year is a good rule of thumb, but honestly, it really depends on your surroundings. If you've got a ton of trees nearby—especially pines or maples—you might find yourself needing to check more often. At my old place, we had these massive oak trees right next to the house, and twice a year wasn't enough. I'd end up climbing up there three or four times because the gutters would clog up so fast, especially after storms.
As for the mossy stuff you mentioned, that's pretty common actually. Usually, it's just algae or moss growing because of moisture buildup and shade. It doesn't necessarily mean you're behind on maintenance, but it does mean water's probably sitting in there longer than it should. You might wanna check if your gutters have enough slope toward the downspouts. Sometimes they sag a bit over time, and water pools up, making a perfect little habitat for moss and algae.
One thing I'd suggest keeping an eye out for (besides frisbees and tennis balls, lol) is granules from your roof shingles. If you start seeing a lot of those gritty bits in your gutters, it could mean your roof is wearing out faster than you'd like. Also, watch for rust spots or loose brackets—those are signs your gutters might need some extra TLC soon.
Personally, I've started using gutter guards recently. They're not perfect, but they've cut down my cleaning trips significantly. Might be worth looking into if climbing ladders isn't your favorite weekend activity...
I get why gutter guards seem appealing, but honestly, they weren't great for me. We have lots of pine needles around here, and they just piled up on top of the guards—ended up cleaning anyway. I'd say if you're dealing mostly with larger leaves, they're probably fine, but for smaller debris like needles or seeds, you might still be stuck climbing ladders more often than you'd like...
"I'd say if you're dealing mostly with larger leaves, they're probably fine, but for smaller debris like needles or seeds, you might still be stuck climbing ladders more often than you'd like..."
Yeah, totally get where you're coming from. We have a similar issue here—lots of small maple seeds and tiny twigs that just slip right through or pile up on top. I was tempted by gutter guards too, but after hearing stories like yours, I'm glad I held off. Honestly, I've found just scheduling a couple weekends each year to tackle it works best for me. Not exactly fun, but at least it's predictable and budget-friendly. Plus, it's oddly satisfying seeing everything cleared out afterward... kind of therapeutic in a weird way. Anyway, thanks for sharing your experience—makes me feel better about sticking with the old-school method!
