A standard gutter cleaning request here includes the above-ground downspouts. The provider clears the elbows and flushes each accessible downspout at ground level. A pipe that runs underground is not part of the job. Before you ask for a price, count your downspouts and write down where each one ends. Most vague quotes are vague about exactly that.
NC State Extension says downspouts and downspout elbows "should be clear of debris" and recommends a gutter inspection every year and after major weather. Portland's stormwater maintenance guide tells owners to check and clear elbows and bends, and to keep each section fastened to the one below it.
Which downspout problems does a cleaning visit fix?
Read the symptom during a rain, from the ground. Do not climb to look.
| What you see | Where the problem usually is | Part of a cleaning visit? | What to put in the request |
|---|---|---|---|
| The gutter spills over at the corner above a downspout | Debris at the gutter outlet or the top elbow | Yes | Name the downspout, for example "front left" |
| Only a trickle leaves the bottom while the gutter above stays full | A clog inside the pipe or an elbow | Yes | Ask for a flush and a visible flow check |
| Water sprays from a joint partway down | A loose or separated section | No, this is a repair | Ask for a separate repair price |
| A section is dented, crushed, or hanging off the wall | A damaged pipe or a failed strap | No, this is a repair | Note it; the crew should not force water through it |
| Water backs up where the pipe enters the ground | The buried line | No | See the buried downspout guide |
| Water leaves freely but pools against the wall | Discharge too close to the house | No | A separate extension or grading decision |
University of Minnesota Extension says extensions "should discharge water at least 4 feet beyond the wall", and that a downspout without an extender or splash block "is worse than no downspout at all." Cleaning does not move where the water lands. If pooling is the problem, treat it as its own job.
How many downspouts do you have, and where does each one drain?
Walk around the house once and fill in one row per downspout. Send the table with the request.
| Downspout | Gutter level it drains | Ends at | What you saw in rain |
|---|---|---|---|
| Front left | First / second floor | Splash block / extension / ground inlet / rain barrel / not sure | Overflow, trickle, spray, nothing seen |
The same Extension page recommends at least one downspout per 50 linear feet of roof eave. If your count comes out lower, a clean system can still overflow in heavy rain. That is a design question for a gutter installer, not a cleaning fault.
A hypothetical example: a two-story house has five downspouts. Two end on splash blocks, two on extensions, and one enters a ground inlet at the back. The upper gutter spills over above the back-right downspout. A clear request says: "Clean all gutter runs and flush the four above-ground downspouts. The back-right downspout enters a buried pipe. Clear it down to the inlet and report how it flows. Do not open the buried pipe." That gives a provider a job it can price, and a stopping point both sides agree on.
What should the written quote say about downspouts?
- How many downspouts are included, and which ones.
- How each one is cleared, for example clearing the elbows and flushing with water.
- Where the work stops for any downspout that enters the ground.
- What happens if a downspout is still blocked after flushing: stop and report, or a separate price.
- That damaged or loose sections are reported, not forced.
Compare two quotes line by line with the quote comparison worksheet. The scope checklist lists the other items a quote should name.
How do you check the downspouts after the visit?
Stand at the bottom of each downspout while the provider runs water through the gutter. Water should leave the outlet quickly and steadily. No water should spray from a joint, and the gutter above should not spill over at the outlet. Write down any downspout left blocked or untested before the provider leaves. The completion checklist gives a full record to keep.
Scope and limits
Not included: buried pipes, dry wells, standpipes below the ground, repairs, new straps or sections, and adding or moving extensions. A flow check at the outlet cannot prove that an underground line is open. If a downspout shows damage, the provider reports it and does not repair it. Ask a repair or drainage provider for that work.
Get my price
Start the gutter cleaning request and choose where your downspouts empty. Put your downspout table in the notes. We confirm the provider, the scope, the price, and a proposed window in writing before payment.
Any US ZIP. No contact details until you have seen the estimate.
Sources
- NC State Extension, "Moisture Control and Prevention: Gutter Management" (Sarah Kirby, 2022), clear downspouts and elbows, yearly inspection, https://content.ces.ncsu.edu/moisture-control-and-prevention-gutter-management, verified 2026-11-06.
- University of Minnesota Extension, "Moisture in basements: causes and solutions," downspout spacing and extension length, https://extension.umn.edu/moisture-and-mold-indoors/moisture-basements-causes-and-solutions, verified 2026-11-06.
- City of Portland Bureau of Environmental Services, stormwater maintenance, elbows, bends and fastened sections, https://www.portland.gov/bes/stormwater/maintenance, verified 2026-11-06.