Why gutter cleaning matters in Brisbane
Clean before the storms, not after
Brisbane's storm season runs from November to March and can bring torrential rain. If the gutters are already full of leaves when the first cell rolls through, the water has nowhere to go but over the edge or back under the roof.
High-set houses mean taller ladders
Queenslanders are mostly raised on stumps, partly for cooling and, in flood-prone areas, to keep the house above water and away from termites. That lifts the gutter line, so cleaning a high-set house can mean far taller ladder work than on a house built on a slab.
Old gutters can hide asbestos
On a house built before 1990, the gutters themselves might be asbestos cement. Gutters under an asbestos cement roof also collect debris that ASSEA says should be treated as friable, the more dangerous kind. Don't scoop or hose those out yourself.
Once a year, twice under trees
Monier suggests cleaning gutters at least once a year, and twice in tree-lined streets. In Brisbane, that means a clean in late winter or spring, plus a look after any big storm if trees overhang the roof.
What a proper clean covers
Scooping out debris, flushing the downpipes, clearing the valleys and checking for rust, sagging runs and leaking joints. A good cleaner tells you about loose brackets, cracked tiles or damaged flashings they notice, with photos. Ask whether the price includes valleys and box gutters or only the eaves gutters.
What you can do, and what to hand over
You can
- Watch the gutters from the ground during heavy rain for water spilling over the front
- Keep the downpipe outlets at ground level clear
- Pick up fallen branches and leaf piles after a storm
Leave to a roofer
- Anything that needs a tall ladder or standing on the roof
- Gutters on high-set or two-storey homes
- Gutters on houses built before 1990 that could be asbestos cement
Questions to ask a Brisbane gutter cleaner
- Is the price for the whole house, including downpipes and valleys?
- What fall protection do you use on high-set or two-storey homes?
- Will you send photos of anything that needs repairing?
- Where does the debris go?
- Can you check whether my old gutters are asbestos cement before you start?
When we'd book it
We'd book a clean for September or October, then have the gutters checked again after a big storm if trees are close. On a high-set or two-storey house, we wouldn't do it ourselves. If overhanging trees mean you're cleaning often, look at gutter guards in Brisbane. The national gutter cleaning page and the Brisbane hub have more.
Want a roofer to take a look?
Tell us the job and your postcode. We match it with a Find My Roofer certified roofer who specialises in that kind of work, and they call you to quote. Your number goes to them alone.