As spring approaches, it’s important to start thinking about getting your house ready for the warmer months. Although it’s easy to cozy in and hunker down inside for the winter months, ignoring exterior home upkeep, as the days become longer and the nights become warmer, it becomes time to get started on those exterior home spring cleaning tasks. 

Window and gutter cleaning are, unfortunately, tasks that are easy to ignore or put off. However, in the long-run, getting these tasks completed is essential to the integrity of your home and can prevent thousands of dollars worth of damage… Seriously – thousands of dollars. 

However, it’s tough to know exactly when to get your windows and gutters cleaned each year, especially with all of the different factors that play a role. Here at Shine Above, we get questions about this all the time. So, today, we’re going to answer them all! 

When should I get my windows and gutters cleaned? 

The simple, generalizable answer is once in the spring and once in the fall. However, window and gutter cleaning are not all that simple and the best practices are not all that generalizable. Why, you may ask? Let’s get into the less simple, less generalizable aspects of the best times to get your windows and gutters cleaned. 

Windows 

woman washing a window from the outsideBefore we get into timing, let’s chat quickly about why professional window washing is even important in the first place. (Trust us, it is!)

  • It heightens curb appeal of your home. 

    • If you want one sure-fire way to improve how your home looks, a thorough, professional window cleaning is the way to go.
  • It increases your energy efficiency and decreases energy costs.

    • Cleaner windows can let in more light and, therefore, heat, help to cut down on your energy bills.
  • It extends the lifespan and integrity of your windows. 

    • Debris, dirt, and other particles on your window can break it down and cause it to break easier. Getting them professionally cleaned reduces this risk.
  • The results of professional window washing tend to last longer

    • Although DIY window washing may save you a few dollars, professional window cleaners use the products and techniques that will make the wash last longer.
  • Professional window washing allows you to stay safe off the ladder

    • Climbing tall ladders to reach the highest windows can be dangerous, especially without the proper training or safety measures. Leave the ladder climbing to the professionals. 

Okay, great. Now we’re on the same page about why we even need to get our windows cleaned in the first place. Next, let’s look at some weather/temperature conditions that are necessary for getting your windows professionally cleaned. 

  • Mildly warm temperatures are ideal for window washing.

    • These temperatures make the entire window cleaning service enjoyable and typically occur in the spring and fall seasons.
  • Window cleaning can’t be done when it’s below freezing outside.

    • Freezing temperatures can cause dangerous conditions, especially for those up on ladders, and will also cause issues with the washing and drying process on your windows themselves.
  • Weather that is too hot or too sunny isn’t ideal for window washing.

    • Heat and direct sunlight can cause your window to dry too quickly, causing streaks and inconsistencies and, frankly, making your window dirty, rather than clean.
  • Days without heavy rain or strong wind are necessary for window cleaning to take place.

    •  Once again, this extra moisture or inconsistent drying agent can cause issues with drying and streaking, leaving your windows dirty and you unhappy!

So, these are the specific conditions that are necessary for getting your window cleaning service, but how often should you wash your windows in a year anyways? 

  • The catch-all answer is that it depends on a multitude of factors such as:

    • The weather where you live

      • More wind, more rain, more storms, more dust and debris being blown around, and other factors all affect how dirty your windows get over time.
    • Where your home is located in relation to fields, roads, parks, etc.

      • When you live near things that produce more debris, especially if there’s a lot of wind, your windows will get dirtier faster and will need to be cleaned more often.
    • How clean you like your windows to look

      • At the end of the day, the most important factor to consider is how clean you prefer your windows to look. Do you want them sparkling clean all the time? Or do you only care to have them cleaned when necessary?
  • With all of these factors considered, we recommend that, at a minimum, you get your windows cleaned 2 times a year – once in the spring and once in the fall

    • A spring cleaning lets you wash off all of the debris that’s built up over the colder winter months. 
    • Your fall cleaning will prepare your windows for a chilly winter and leave them as clean as possible during the months that window cleanings aren’t available. 
  • Beyond these maintenance washes, specific events or circumstances may be all the inspiration you need to book additional window cleanings and add that extra sparkle to your home.

    • It’s Monday night and you know your in-laws are coming for a dinner party on Friday evening.… It’s time to pull out the big guns and book that window cleaning. 
    • You’re selling your home and the realtor is coming to take photos of the exterior next week to post on the real estate website. Let’s blow the socks off of those potential buyers. 
    • There have been rumblings in the neighborhood that the Google Maps truck is coming and updating the images. First, rent a Lamborghini to ~casually~ stand next to as the truck drives by. Second, get your windows cleaned.
    • You’ve just had a beautiful gazebo built in your backyard for the summer but now there’s sawdust… everywhere. Not ideal. Let’s get it off the windows ASAP. 

Gutters 

man with gloves on cleaning out a gutter on the roofline of a home As we mentioned above, gutter cleanings are one of those chores that are easy to ignore but can have major negative effects if they aren’t completed. Why is professional gutter cleaning so important, you may ask? Here are a few of the main reasons: 

  • It reduces the risk of water damage to the foundation of your home. 

    • Blockage of your gutters can cause water buildup and, consequently, water draining in the wrong places. If this water begins running down the side of your home, rather than away from it, it can undermine the foundation of your home.
  • It reduces the risk of mold and mildew buildup in the gutters.

    • Gutters are designed to catch water from your roof and expel it away from the house. When leaves and debris that are stuck in your gutters mix with this water, it can cause mold and mildew.
  • It mitigates the issue of damage to your roof

    • If rainwater cannot fall from your roof into your gutters, it will remain on your roof and can cause serious (and expensive) damage to your shingles and actually end up dripping inside. 
  • It reduces the risk of water buildup (puddles) in the warmer months and icy walkways in the colder months. 

    • Gutters are designed, as mentioned, to push water away from your home and distribute it evenly and safely elsewhere. If they can’t serve this purpose, you can end up with puddles or small, unwanted ice rinks on your lawn or walkways.  
  • It reduces the chances of your gutters warping, breaking, or pulling away from your roofline. 

    • Buildup of leaves, twigs, and other debris can get heavy, especially when saturated with water. Gutters aren’t designed to effectively hold up weeks of accumulated debris and can end up ruined if they are expected to. 
  • It decreases the chances of bug and/or small critter infestation.

    • Piles of leaves, twigs, and other debris are overwhelmingly inviting to small insects, squirrels, and other bugs or critters who are looking for a home. Cleaning your gutters will make sure you don’t have Mama and Papa Squirrel and their three babies setting up shop on your roofline. 
  • It heightens the general curb appeal of your home. 

    • At the end of the day, homes with clean, properly flowing gutters are more pleasing to look at and are positively viewed by outside eyes. 

If you’re feeling overwhelmed by all of the damages that clogged or dirty gutters can cause to your home and want to book a gutter cleaning RIGHT NOW, first, don’t stress – we’ll get it taken care of! Second, let’s chat about what weather conditions are necessary for gutter cleanings to happen in the first place. 

  • Similarly to window cleanings, mildly warm weather is the most ideal for gutter cleaning services to take place. 

    • Spring and fall are the best times for gutter cleaning. Mildly warm weather makes the cleaning possible, keeps the gutter cleaning technicians working in good conditions, and provides an overall better experience. 
  • Gutter cleaning services cannot be provided when there are freezing temperatures.

    • Not only do freezing temperatures create unsafe conditions for ladder climbing, they can also cause the debris that’s in your gutters to freeze, making it impossible to remove. 
  • Heavy rainfall or fierce wind will also not be tolerated during gutter cleanings. 

    • Trying to clean a gutter while it’s raining cats and dogs or while the wind is blowing the dust, leaves, and debris from the gutters up into your eyes (and mouth and nose) is not worth it. We’ll wait this weather out. 

Amazing. We’ve got all of the prerequisites in order. But once all these weather conditions are taken care of, how often do you need to get your gutters professionally cleaned each year

  • Again, the amount of times you should have your gutters cleaned each year depends on a few factors such as: 

    • The weather conditions that you live in

      • Wind speeds and storm frequencies have a large impact on how much debris gets into your gutters and, therefore, how often they need to be cleaned out.
    • Where your home is located and surrounding elements

      • Homes that are surrounded by lots of trees will need gutter cleaning services much more frequently because of the natural buildup of falling leaves that will occur.
  • Generally speaking, it’s best to have gutter cleanings done twice a year – once in the spring and once in the fall

    • A springtime gutter cleaning gets your gutters running smoothly before the rainy season that they get used the most in. 
    • Fall gutter cleanings make sure that all of the leaves and debris that have fallen throughout the fall months are cleaned out so that your gutters are ready for winter.
  • As Evergreen Cleans has eloquently outlined, the best time to get your gutters cleaned is “long before they’re full and overflowing and not so often that you throw away good money for no reason.” So simple… right?

Would you look at that! You’re basically an expert in all things gutter and window cleaning now. You know why these services are important, what conditions are necessary for them, and how many times a year you should have these services professionally done for you. 

If you have any other questions, feel free to reach out to our Shine Above team of window and gutter cleaning experts by calling 780-651-1533 and we’ll be happy to help you out.