Gutter cleaning, repair and new gutters in California, MO

When to clean gutters in California

The first fall frost comes around October 25 in a typical year here, and the last spring frost around April 11 (median dates, NOAA normals). Booking the fall cleaning after the first frost, once the trees over the roof are bare, catches the season’s drop in one visit; the spring cleaning comes after the pollen and catkins are down.

When to clean gutters explains how the trees over a roof change the schedule.

Gutter and downspout size for California rain

The short, hard downpour is what a gutter is sized for. In California the five-minute rain expected about once in ten years falls at 7.49 inches an hour (NOAA Atlas 14 Volume 8). At that rate one 2-by-3-inch downspout drains about 960 square feet of roof and one 3-by-4-inch downspout about 1,920, by the rule in the Copper Development Association’s design handbook. Try your own roof in the gutter and downspout calculator, which starts from this figure.

The houses in California

Half the homes in California were built by 1970, 67% before 1980 (ACS 2020–2024). Houses that age have often had their gutters replaced once already; if not, the original runs and the boards behind them deserve a close look. On a house built before 1978, replacing more than 20 square feet of painted fascia or trim falls under the EPA’s lead-safe rule, so ask whether the crew is certified.

69% of households own their home, and 78% of homes are detached houses, 1% townhouses. If an association maintains the exterior, the gutters may be its job rather than yours; check before calling.

Hiring in Missouri

Licensing for gutter work differs from state to state; ask a contractor in California which license or registration they hold in Missouri, and for proof of liability insurance. Hiring a gutter contractor