Winter leaves more in an eavestrough than fallen leaves: ice damage, sodden mats and grit. This guide shows when to clean in spring, how to do it step by step, and what winter damage to look for before the heavier rains arrive.
In This Article
What winter leaves behind
By April, an eavestrough holds the last of the fall leaves, now sodden and compressed under weeks of snow. Add twigs from winter storms, shingle grit and a slimy layer of rotting debris. Ice may have split a downspout seam or pulled a hanger loose. None of it looks urgent from the yard, and all of it matters once spring rain arrives.
Freeze-thaw cycles are common from November to April, so troughs have frozen and thawed many times. A trough that sagged a little in autumn may sag a lot by now.
Choosing your spring window
| Option | When | Advantage | Catch |
|---|---|---|---|
| Early spring | Once troughs are ice-free and the ground is no longer frozen or slick, often April | Clears sodden debris and finds winter damage before steady rains | Maple keys and catkins are still to come, so expect a light second pass |
| Late spring | Late May into June | Catches most of the seed and blossom drop in one visit | Debris sits through the April rains, so overflow is possible in the meantime |
- Choose early spring if a run overflowed during a thaw, you saw icicles pile up in one spot, or a sag showed over the winter.
- Choose late spring if the troughs drained well through March and April, and you would rather clean once.
Watch the forecast, and choose a dry day well above freezing. Ground that has just thawed can be soft, so check that each ladder foot sits firmly before you climb.
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A spring clean, step by step
- Clear the ground first. Remove leftover snow and ice from around each downspout outlet and extension, so meltwater has somewhere to go.
- Look for early nests. Wasps and birds start building in spring. Leave an active nest alone and work elsewhere.
- Scoop the trough from the downspout end away, working toward the high end, and bag the debris. Follow your municipality's current yard-waste rules.
- Rinse with a hose on a low flow and watch where the water lingers. A puddle after the flow stops marks a low spot.
- Flush each downspout. Do not force a blockage that may be ice. If the pipe is still frozen, wait for a warmer day.
- Reach for a second pass in late spring if maples or oaks overhang the roof.
The order matters. Clearing the ground first lets the meltwater from a rinse escape, and working away from the downspout keeps debris from being pushed into the outlet.
Winter damage to check for while you are there
- Split downspout seams. Water that froze inside a pipe can open the seam. Look for cracks and bulges, especially at elbows.
- Loose or pulled hangers. Gaps at the fascia and lifted fasteners show that the run is no longer well supported.
- Bent front edges and dented runs. Sliding ice and snow can crease the metal.
- Open seams and popped end caps. Look for dark trails on the fascia below them.
- Soft or stained fascia. Press gently with a screwdriver tip. Wood that dents easily has started to rot. How to spot gutter damage lists more signs.
- Ceiling stains or damp patches indoors near an exterior wall, which can mean ice dams forced water under the shingles.
Note each problem with a photo and a date. Small ones can be fixed on a dry day. A sag, a split pipe or rotten wood needs a proper repair before the rains get heavy.
Ten minutes before the first heavy rain
Once the troughs are clear, a short walk around the house before the first big spring rain catches the loose ends.
- Reattach any extension that came off during winter, and point each one away from the foundation.
- Clear window wells and drain grates beside the walls.
- Reconnect a rain barrel, if you use one, and make sure its overflow leads away from the house.
- If you have a sump pump, pour a bucket of water into the pit to confirm the pump switches on.
- Note where the first steady rain overflows, and fix that spot before the next one.
Water that has nowhere else to go ends up at the foundation, so this ten minutes protects the part of the house that is hardest to repair.
Booking a spring clean in Cambridge
If your eaves are at second-storey height, or spring has left you with soft ground and wet rungs, hand the job over. D&D Home Services serves Cambridge, and its gutter cleaning starts at $125 for a typical Kitchener-Waterloo home. Quotes are free and confirmed in writing before work begins, and its crew members are Working at Heights certified.
Key Takeaways
- Winter leaves sodden debris, grit and sometimes ice damage in the trough, which shows up as overflow once spring rain arrives.
- Clean in early spring for sodden debris and winter damage, or in late spring for the seed drop, or both if trees overhang the roof.
- Clear ice from the ground around downspouts first, and never force a blockage that may still be frozen.
- Check for split downspout seams, loose hangers, bent edges, open seams, soft fascia and interior ceiling stains.
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