Gutters only work when water can move through them. Leaves, twigs, moss washed off the roof, grit from concrete tiles all collect in the low points, and before long the gutter holds a soggy mat that blocks the outlet. In heavy rain the water has nowhere to go but over the front edge or back behind the gutter, where it soaks the fascia and runs down the walls.
We clear gutters, valleys and downpipe heads by hand, bag the debris and take it away, flush each run to check it drains, and send you before and after photos. Because we are roofers, we also note anything wrong with the spouting, fascia or roof while we are up there. If the spouting itself is cracked, sagging or rusted through, cleaning will not fix it, and our spouting page covers repair and replacement.
Pricing: every roof gets a free on-site measure and an itemised written quote, with a fixed price agreed before any work starts.
Gutters rusted, sagging or leaking at the joins? Replacement is covered under spouting and gutters.
Signs your gutters need clearing
You can spot most gutter blockages from the ground, especially during or straight after rain:
- Water spilling over the front of the gutter in rain that is not especially heavy
- Plants, grass or seedlings growing out of the spouting
- Gutters sagging between brackets under the weight of wet debris
- Dark streaks or wet patches on the fascia and the wall below the gutter
- A downpipe that stays dry in rain while the gutter above it overflows
Leaves, bush and wind
Plenty of Wellington homes sit among trees. Hillside streets in Ngaio, Khandallah, Karori and Churton Park, the valley suburbs of Stokes Valley and Wainuiomata, and leafy sections in Waikanae often sit under bush or mature gardens. Evergreen native trees shed leaves through the year rather than all at once in autumn, so gutters under them can block at any time. Valleys, internal corners and the gutter run below a big tree usually fill first.
Wind makes it worse. Wellington Airport records gusts over 63 km/h on about 166 days a year, and gales can come in any month, though NIWA notes they are most frequent in winter. Strong wind strips leaves and twigs from trees and drives them onto the roof and into the gutters, often just before the rain arrives. Winter is also the wettest season across the region, so a gutter that blocks in autumn tends to overflow right when it matters most.
How It Works
What overflowing gutters do to a house
When a gutter overflows at the back, water runs between the gutter and the fascia board. Timber fascia stays wet, the paint lets go, and the board rots from behind where you cannot see it. Once it is soft, the gutter brackets lose their grip and the gutter starts to drop, which makes overflowing worse. Water can also get into the soffit and the top of the wall framing. Overflow at the front lands against the base of the house, which on piled Wellington homes can mean a damper subfloor and, on hillside sections, water pooling against retaining walls or running down a bank.
Catching a blocked gutter early is far cheaper than replacing rotten fascia. If we find soft timber while cleaning, we photograph it and can quote the repair through our downpipes and fascia service.
Downpipes and the stormwater connection
A clean gutter still overflows if the downpipe below it is blocked. We clear downpipe heads and rainheads, check each downpipe runs freely and flush water through to confirm it reaches the ground connection. Tiaki Wai, which runs stormwater for Wellington City, Lower Hutt, Upper Hutt and Porirua, says roof downpipes must connect to the stormwater system, not wastewater, and that a downpipe running into a gully trap needs redirecting. Kāpiti Coast District Council runs stormwater on the Kāpiti Coast.
If water backs up out of the pipe at ground level, the blockage is usually in the private stormwater drain underground. Private drains on your property are generally the owner's responsibility, and clearing or repairing them is drainlaying work. We tell you what we find so you can get the right trade in.
Coastal homes, salt and leaf guards
Near the sea, gutters collect more than leaves. Salt settles in the sheltered inside face of the gutter, where rain does not rinse it, and wet debris holds that salty moisture against the steel. BRANZ places homes within 500 metres of the sea, harbours included, in its high corrosion zone, which takes in much of the harbour edge and south coast, from Petone and Eastbourne to Lyall Bay, Island Bay and Seatoun, as well as Tītahi Bay and the Kāpiti beachfront. Keeping those gutters clear and rinsed helps them last.
Leaf guards and gutter mesh can cut how often gutters need clearing, especially under trees. They are not maintenance free: fine debris and moss still build up on top, and in strong wind poorly fixed mesh can lift. We can fit guards that suit your gutter profile and tell you honestly whether they are worth it for your house.
Safe work at height, frequency and cost
WorkSafe describes falls from height as one of the leading causes of serious harm in New Zealand workplaces, and expects anyone working at height to plan for it and use the safest practicable method, such as scaffolding, edge protection or a work platform, ahead of relying on ladders alone. Many Wellington homes are two storeys or sit on a slope, so one side of the house can be much higher than it looks from the street. We assess each site before quoting and bring the right gear for the height and ground.
As general practice, many homeowners have gutters cleared once or twice a year, often in late autumn and again in spring, and more often under trees or near the coast. Your own roof, trees and exposure are the best guide, and after the first clean we can suggest a sensible interval. Price depends on the length of gutter, height and number of storeys, roof pitch and access, how much debris there is, and whether you add downpipe flushing, leaf guards or a roof clean. Combining gutter cleaning with roof cleaning shares the set-up cost.
Why Choose Cheeky's Roofers for Gutter Cleaning
Cleared by hand, flushed and tested
Every run is emptied, bagged and flushed so you know the water actually reaches the downpipe.
Before and after photos
You see what came out and the state of the gutters, fascia and roof edge.
Roofers, not just cleaners
We spot rotten fascia, failed joints and roof problems while we are up there and tell you plainly.
Safe at height
Each site is assessed first, with the right access gear for the height and slope.
Gutter Cleaning FAQs
How often should gutters be cleaned in Wellington?
As a general guide, once or twice a year suits many homes, and more often under trees or near the coast. We can suggest an interval once we have seen your roof and trees.
What is the difference between gutter cleaning and spouting repairs?
Cleaning clears debris so the existing gutters work. If the spouting is cracked, sagging or rusted through, it needs repair or replacement, which is a separate job.
Do you clean the downpipes too?
Yes. We clear downpipe heads and flush each downpipe. If a blockage is in the underground stormwater drain, that is drainlaying work and we tell you what we found.
Can overflowing gutters damage my house?
Yes. Water running behind the gutter rots the fascia and can reach the soffit and wall framing, while water spilling at the front collects against the base of the house.
Are leaf guards worth it?
Under trees they can reduce how often gutters need clearing, but they still need occasional cleaning and must be fixed well enough to stay put in the wind.
Do you take the debris away?
Yes. Leaves and grit are bagged and removed, and nothing is washed into the stormwater.
Gutter Cleaning by Area
Local gutter cleaning information for your part of Wellington:
Related Roofing Services
See the roof replacement cost guide or every service we offer.