Gutter cleaning, repair and new gutters in Ham Lake, MN

When to clean gutters in Ham Lake

The first fall frost comes around October 2 in a typical year here, and the last spring frost around May 5 (median dates, NOAA normals). A fall cleaning set for the weeks after that frost, when the branches over the house are bare, gets the year’s leaves in one trip; a spring visit follows once the pollen and catkins have come down.

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

Gutter and downspout size for Ham Lake rain

The short, hard downpour is what a gutter is sized for. In Ham Lake the five-minute rain expected about once in ten years falls at 7.38 inches an hour (NOAA Atlas 14 Volume 8). At that rate one 2-by-3-inch downspout drains about 980 square feet of roof and one 3-by-4-inch downspout about 1,950, 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.

With about 44 inches of snow in a normal year here (NOAA normals), gutters carry ice as well as water. Ice dams start with heat from the house melting roof snow that refreezes at the edge (University of Minnesota Extension); the fix for the dam is in the attic, and the gutter’s part is to be hung strongly enough to take the weight.

The houses in Ham Lake

Half the homes in Ham Lake were built by 1993, 31% 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.

95% of households own their home, and 84% of homes are detached houses, 7% townhouses. If an association maintains the exterior, the gutters may be its job rather than yours; check before calling.

Hiring in Minnesota

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