In Southwest Florida, when you clean your gutters matters as much as how often. About two-thirds of Fort Myers’ yearly rain falls in just four months, June through September. A gutter that’s packed with spring oak leaves when those daily storms start doesn’t just overflow. It sends that water down your walls and into the ground right against your foundation.
In this guide: When the rain comes · What clogs SWFL gutters · A cleaning schedule that fits · Signs they need it now
QUICK ANSWER
When should you clean gutters in Southwest Florida?
At least twice a year: once in spring (March to May), after the oaks drop their leaves and tassels and before rainy season starts, and once in late fall (November to December), after rainy season and hurricane season wind down. Homes under heavy oak, pine or palm cover may need more, and every home should get a check after a named storm.
When the rain comes in Fort Myers
Here are the 1991–2020 climate normals for Fort Myers from the National Weather Service. The summer jump is the whole story:
| Month | Normal rain (inches) |
|---|---|
| January | 2.43 |
| February | 1.78 |
| March | 2.07 |
| April | 2.44 |
| May | 3.46 |
| June | 9.66 |
| July | 9.38 |
| August | 10.43 |
| September | 9.00 |
| October | 3.08 |
| November | 1.78 |
| December | 1.90 |
| Year | 57.41 |
June through September adds up to about 38.5 inches, roughly 67% of the year’s rain. And it doesn’t fall gently. Summer storms here often dump heavy rain in a short burst, which is exactly when a half-clogged gutter overflows. Hurricane season runs June 1 through November 30 on top of that.
What clogs Southwest Florida gutters, and when
| What falls | When | What it does in a gutter |
|---|---|---|
| Live oak leaves | Late winter into spring | Small, waxy leaves pack flat and hold water |
| Oak tassels (catkins) | Spring | Stringy clumps that mat over downspout openings |
| Palm fronds, flowers and seed pods | Year-round | Heavy debris that blocks corners and outlets |
| Pine needles | Year-round | Weave through guards and build a mat |
| Storm debris | June to November | Leaves, twigs and shingle grit all at once |
Spring is the big one. The oaks drop right before the rain starts, so a spring cleaning clears the worst debris of the year at exactly the right time.
A cleaning schedule that fits Southwest Florida
- Spring (March to May): the most important cleaning of the year. Clear the oak leaves and tassels before rainy season.
- Late fall (November to December): clear what built up over the summer and check for anything storms loosened.
- After any named storm: look for debris, bent sections, loose downspouts and corners pulling apart.
- Heavy tree cover: homes right under oaks or pines may need three or four cleanings a year, or gutter guards.
That two-visit rhythm is exactly how our Rain Ready Club works: a spring visit before rainy season and a late-fall visit after it, each with a full cleaning, a 5-point inspection, up to 3 seam reseals and photos when we’re done. Members also get priority scheduling after a storm. If you have a super gutter over your pool cage, we clean that too, which keeps the pool deck from getting soaked.
Signs your gutters need cleaning now
- Water pouring over the front edge during a storm.
- Plants or grass growing in the gutter.
- Downspouts that barely trickle in a heavy rain.
- Staining on the fascia or stucco below the gutter.
- Washed-out mulch or soil along the house.
- A gutter that’s starting to sag or pull away. Wet debris is heavy.
Do gutter guards mean no more cleaning?
Good gutter guards cut cleaning way down, but no guard makes a gutter maintenance-free. Fine debris and oak tassels can still sit on top of a guard. The right guard depends on what’s falling on your roof, which is why we offer three levels.
Should you do it yourself?
On a one-story home with a safe, level place for the ladder, plenty of homeowners clean their own gutters. On two-story homes, tile roofs and anything over a pool cage, we’d rather you didn’t. Tile breaks under foot traffic and ladder falls are no joke.
Questions we get
How often should gutters be cleaned in Florida?
At least twice a year in Southwest Florida: spring and late fall. Homes under heavy tree cover may need more.
What’s the best month to clean gutters in Fort Myers?
April or May is ideal: after spring oak drop, before the June rains.
How much does gutter cleaning cost?
It depends on the size of the home, how many feet of gutter it has and how much debris is packed in. We give you the price before we start.
Get your gutters rain ready
Gutter cleaning across Lee and Collier counties, with photos when we’re done. Or join the Rain Ready Club and never think about it again.
Written by Garrett Schempp, co-owner of The Brothers That Just Do Gutters of Fort Myers–Naples, a veteran-owned, state-licensed gutter company (CBC1270165) based in south Fort Myers.