Roof & Exterior
Gutter cleaning before storm season
Cocos-palm fronds, eucalyptus litter, downpipe blockages cleared and flushed across the Northern Rivers. Before the next big rain, not after.
Gutter section being cleared by a gloved hand, leaf litter and small palm fronds piled on a drop sheet below — placeholder until real photos loadAnnual gutter cleaning is cheap insurance. A blocked gutter in a Northern Rivers downpour means water over the top, water under the eaves, water down the wall and water on the ceiling. The fix is twenty minutes a year, before the wet season starts.
The Tweed and the hinterland have a specific gutter problem that drier-climate areas don’t: cocos palms drop their fronds and seed clusters into your gutters in massive volume, especially after easterlies. Even with gutter guard, the cocos seed clusters can sit on top of the mesh and stop the flow.
We don’t blow leaves into the garden. We bag them, vacuum the fine stuff, flush the downpipes, and walk you through anything we find — a rusted outlet, a sagging bracket, a downpipe that’s not actually connected to the stormwater pit. None of that costs you on the cleaning visit; it’s just on the report so you know.
If your roof is too steep or too brittle to walk safely, we say no. There’s no clean worth a fall, and you don’t want a tradie’s insurance claim on your house anyway.
When you need this
The reasons people call
- Water overflowing the gutters during heavy rain
- Cocos-palm fronds visible above the gutter line
- Eucalyptus litter, especially after spring drop
- Annual maintenance ahead of summer storm season
- Pre-sale or pre-tenancy check, so the new owner doesn't find a problem on the first wet weekend
How we work
What actually happens
- Walk the roof or set up from a ladder depending on pitch and access
- Scoop out the bulk debris by hand
- Blow out the dry remainder with a gutter vacuum or blower
- Flush the downpipes to confirm flow
- Photograph anything we find (rust, cracked outlet, sagging gutter, bird's nest) and send the photos with the invoice
What's included
In the quoted price
- All accessible gutters (single-storey standard; two-storey on quote)
- Downpipe flush
- Debris bagged and removed (no leaving leaf piles on the lawn)
- Photos of anything that needs attention
Honest about scope
What can go wrong, what's not included, what we check first
FAQ
Gutter Cleaning questions, answered
Soft-wash vs pressure-clean — what's the difference and why does it matter?
Pressure-cleaning strips the visible top layer of mould off but leaves the roots; the dark stripes come back within a season. Soft-washing uses a roof-safe biocide to break the growth down properly, then a low-pressure rinse to take it away. The roof stays cleaner for two to three years instead of two to three months, and the tiles/coating don't get abraded in the process.
Our roof has solar panels — does that change anything?
We work around solar panels carefully. We don't clean the panels themselves (that's a specific service with a specific cleaner; we can recommend). We don't walk on them, we don't get detergent on them, and we soft-wash the rest of the roof without compromising the panel edges or seals.
How often should we be cleaning the roof?
Every two to three years for most Northern Rivers homes. Coastal-strip homes with mature cocos palms or eucalyptus overhanging the roof: closer to every two years. Sheltered inland homes with minimal tree cover: every three years is fine. Annual gutter cleaning regardless.
Related
Often booked together
Quote for gutter cleaning
Specific to this service. We'll come back with a written number within one business day.
Ready for a real number?
Phone is the fastest. Quote form if you'd rather write. Either way, you'll hear back with a written number, not a starting price.