· Michael Blair
Gutters and windows share the same access equipment and the same twice-yearly rhythm, and doing them in the wrong order wastes one of them.
Gutters first, always
Clearing gutters throws debris and dirty water down the wall and across the glass. Windows cleaned first get done again.
The same applies to any roof or soffit work — anything above the windows happens before them.
Shared access
Both are ladder work at the same heights, so combining them saves setup time and usually money. Most companies price a combined visit below two separate ones.
On a two-storey Nashville house that access is most of the cost.
- Gutters and roof work before windows
- Combine visits to share the ladder setup
- Screens out and washed at the same time
- Check gutter fixings while up there
- Twice a year suits both here
The same schedule suits both
Late spring after the pollen and seed drop, and autumn after leaf fall. That is the right interval for gutters in Middle Tennessee and it works for windows too.
Under heavy canopy, a third gutter visit mid-autumn is worth adding.
Use the access
While a ladder is up, it is worth checking gutter fixings, looking at the fascia for rot, and checking soffit vents are clear rather than painted over.
Those are all things that get noticed years late otherwise, and the marginal cost of looking is nothing.