Signs Your Gutters Are Clogged
Updated
Short answer
Water spilling over the front edge in an ordinary rain, a downspout that only trickles, plants growing in the gutter, sagging sections, stains on the fascia or siding, and soil washed out below the eaves are the common signs.
What to look for
- Overflow along the front of the gutter, often at inside corners or near the downspout.
- Silent downspouts: little or no water coming out the bottom during rain.
- Green growth: grass, seedlings or moss visible along the gutter line.
- Sagging: weight of wet debris pulling sections down.
- Stains on fascia, soffit or siding beneath the gutter.
- Washed-out beds or a trench in the mulch under the eaves.
- Water in the basement after storms along the same wall.
- Icicles along the whole gutter in winter, not just at the downspout.
Overflow matters because of volume: about 623 gallons per inch of rain per 1,000 square feet of roof, by USGS arithmetic, lands somewhere. See gutter cleaning or the cost page.
Quick answers
How can I tell if my gutters are clogged without a ladder?
Watch them in a rain: overflow over the front edge, or a downspout with little flow, are the clearest signs from the ground.
Rather have someone else do it?
Tell us the address, how tall the house is and what you need. A local crew calls back with a price before anything is booked.