Clearing wet leaf debris from a Portland home's gutters

Gutters & Drainage

Portland gutter cleaning & repair.

Clogged gutters back up onto the roof and rot the fascia behind them before most people ever notice. We clear them by hand, fix what is actually failing, and email you photos of what we found — no guessing, no upselling.

Hand Cleaned

Debris Removal

Photo Delivery

Area Cleanup

Gutter Cleaning

Hand-cleaned, not just blown out.

We use a leaf-blower and hand scoop with hard surfaces around the home cleaned. Downspouts checked and cleaned along the way.

Loose debris removed from the roof and out of the gutters.
Air blown to clear the debris hand-scooping leaves behind.
Downspouts checked and cleared so water actually leaves the roof instead of backing up.
Water rinsing when needed — the outside of the gutters, the siding, and anything else that got dirty from the job. Hard surfaces only.
Photos of what we found, emailed to you, so you are seeing the same thing we saw.
Cleanup before we leave — we walk the property and clear any mess the job left behind.

Rain gutter packed with wet fir needles and maple leaves against white fascia — Fir needles and maple leaves — the Portland special

Gutter Repairs

We fix what is failing, not just what is dirty.

Every cleaning includes a look at the hardware, not just the debris. When something is loose, sagging, or damaged, we can usually fix it while working the same day.

Old spikes replaced with heavy-duty gutter screws — they hold more weight and last a lot longer than the spikes most gutters are hung with. Backed with a lifetime warranty.
Sagging sections re-pitched so water runs to the downspout instead of pooling and pulling the run loose.
Damaged sections repaired or replaced, along with downspout repairs and upgrades.
Full gutter replacement when a system is too far gone for spot repair to make sense. We can refer you out to someone that we trust. We believe we have the best trade partner in Portland for new gutters.

What we do not do

Partial gutter replacements and seam-leak repairs are not something we take on. If that is what your gutters need, we will be honest and refer to the right company.

We will always tell you what a job runs before we start — no surprises.

Weeds growing in a clogged lower gutter, before cleaning — Weeds in the lower gutter — before

The same lower gutter cleared of weeds and debris, after cleaning — The same gutter, cleared — after

Downspouts & Underground Drains

When the clog is not in the gutter at all.

Sometimes a gutter looks clear but water still backs up during a hard rain. That usually means the clog is further down — inside the downspout or in the underground line that carries water away from the house.

Rooter equipment for downspout & underground clogs

We carry the equipment to clear clogged downspouts and underground drain lines, rather than guessing where the water's getting stuck. It's priced separately from a standard gutter cleaning — most jobs do not need it, but if yours is backing up below ground, we can usually clear it the same visit.

Gutter Guards & Filters

Our honest take on gutter guards.

A lot of the gutter guard systems on the market just do not work — debris still gets in, or water sheets right over the top in a hard rain. If you are going to install something, here is what we actually recommend.

Larger downspouts — Paired with a Leaftrap near the ground level. In theory, it will catch a lot of the debris at the base, so someone does not have to post up a ladder to clear it. For this to work, the downspout has to be larger.
Leaf Drop — a 3×4 corrugated downspout system with built-in leaf traps and clean-outs at the base, so debris collects where it's easy to clear instead of packing the whole run. Homes with it installed often stretch gutter cleaning from once a year to once every five years.
Why it matters: gutters packed with debris are far more likely to pull loose from the fascia in sections, and that lets water sit against the wood and rot it out. A guard that is doing its job helps prevent that.
Already rusting? If your gutters are rusty, we will let you know. Patching a rusted system is a temporary fix at best.

Guards still need cleaning

Having guards installed does not take gutter cleaning off the table — it just changes the job. If you already have guards on your gutters, removing them, cleaning underneath, and reinstalling them is not included in a standard roof-cleaning estimate. We can do it, but we price that work separately, so let us know you have guards before the estimate.

Jesse's take: "If you have gutter guards that we have to take off, clean the gutters, and reinstall — you should not have needed them in the first place. They are not working."

Gutter run along a Portland roof edge checked before cleaning, surrounded by overhanging trees — Checking a run before cleaning

Downspout and gutter corner checked below the eave during the same visit — Downspout checked during the same visit

Common Questions

Gutter cleaning & repair FAQ

If we already have gutter guards, is gutter cleaning still included in the bid?

It changes things a bit. A standard roof-cleaning estimate does not include removing gutter guards, cleaning underneath them, and putting them back on — that is separate work with its own price. Tell us you have guards before we bid the job so we can quote it correctly from the start.

How often do gutters actually need cleaning?

It depends on how much tree cover you have. A property under fir or maple trees can fill back up in a single season. We will tell you what we are actually seeing in your gutters. Every job is a little bit different.

Do you repair gutters, or just clean them?

We can do both. We re-secure loose sections with heavy-duty gutter screws, re-pitch sagging runs, repair or replace damaged sections, and handle downspout repairs. We do not do partial replacements or seam-leak repairs — if that is what a gutter needs, we will tell you and point you toward a full-replacement, or another company who can do the repairs option instead.

What if the clog is not in the gutter — it is underground?

That happens more than people think. We carry rooter equipment for downspout and underground drain clogs, priced separately from a standard cleaning, and can usually clear it in the same visit.

Do you need to do anything extra to clean the gutters on a steep roof?

If your roof is steep, we will want to install roof anchors before we can safely do the job. It is a safety step, not an upsell — we tie off for gutter work the same way we do for roof cleaning. Gutters are cleaned from the roof, not from ladders.

What if you have to come back before our next scheduled cleaning?

If we are called back because new foliage has built up since we last cleaned your gutters, that is treated as its own job and priced accordingly. We are happy to come back and check things out for you. Especially for our clients who are on our annual maintenance plan, with whom we have established trust with over the years.

See More Gutter Work

Ready When You Are

Get your gutters checked and cleared.

Tell us about your gutters and we will come take a look — a free roof and gutter check, no pressure, no obligation, just honest answers.

Request My Free Estimate (503) 432-9093