- Totally agree, it’s not worth paying for a service if your roof’s in good shape and you barely get debris.
- My place is older, though, and I’ve learned the hard way that ignoring small stuff can get expensive. Had a leak last year—cost me way more than a quick check would’ve.
- I don’t have a green roof, but I do get moss and random weeds up there sometimes. Not fun to deal with, but cheaper than a big repair.
- For me, every 3-4 months is enough. If it’s been windy or rainy, I’ll check sooner.
- Guess it’s all about how much risk you’re willing to take... I’d rather spend a little time than a lot of money.
I’m with you on not paying for stuff you don’t need, but I learned my lesson with gutters a couple years back. Thought I could push it off since they “looked fine.” Fast forward to a surprise downpour and water coming in behind the siding... ended up costing me a weekend and a few hundred bucks. Now I just do a quick check every couple months, especially after storms. Curious—does anyone actually get up there themselves, or is everyone hiring it out? I’m all about saving money, but heights aren’t really my thing.
Curious—does anyone actually get up there themselves, or is everyone hiring it out? I’m all about saving money, but heights aren’t really my thing.
I totally get the hesitation with heights. I used to climb up myself, but after one close call with a slippery ladder, I switched to hiring it out twice a year. What’s worked for me: quick visual checks from the ground after storms (binoculars help), and then a pro clean in spring and fall. It’s not cheap, but way less than fixing water damage. If you’re not into climbing, maybe try those gutter guards? They cut down on cleaning frequency but don’t eliminate it entirely.
I see a lot of folks just eyeballing things from the ground, but honestly, you’d be surprised how much gunk can hide up there. I’ve seen gutters packed solid even when they looked fine from below. Gutter guards help, sure, but pine needles still sneak through. Personally, I lean toward hiring it out too—especially if you’re not comfortable with ladders. Peace of mind’s worth a bit extra, in my book.
- Gutters are sneakier than they look. I’ve done a few roof walk-throughs where the gutters seemed clear from below, but once you’re up there, it’s like a compost pile.
- Gutter guards definitely help, but yeah, pine needles and those little seed pods still find their way in. I kinda thought guards would be a fix-all, but not really.
- Hiring it out makes sense for folks not used to ladders. I’m on roofs a lot, but honestly, even I get nervous on steep pitches or after rain.
- For how often? Twice a year seems to be the sweet spot around here (lots of trees). Once in late fall after leaves drop, then again in spring for all the random stuff winter blows in.
- If you don’t have many trees, maybe you can stretch it to once a year... but I wouldn’t skip more than that. Stuff builds up fast and clogs can mess with your fascia or even roof edge.
- One thing I noticed—if you do it yourself, check the downspouts too. Had one packed full of mud and didn’t even realize until water started pouring over the sides.
Kind of wild how much junk ends up up there. Makes me wonder what else we miss just looking from the ground.