- High-reach gutter vacuum
- Camera check for blockages
- Downpipes checked and cleared
- Hand moss removal, no jet-washing
- Faults photographed and quoted
Gutter clearing & gutter cleaning
As we’re sure you’re aware, clogged guttering can cause a great number of problems with your roof. From overflows and leaks to pests and bad smells, damaged guttering is something you really want to avoid.
Luckily, the team here at Roofing Cambridge offers a thorough gutter cleaning service, ensuring that not only your gutters stay healthy but also that they’re protected for the months and years to come.
When cleaning your gutters, we always stick to the strictest hygiene and safety standards, and thanks to our state-of-the-art high-reach gutter vacuum system, we can quickly and accurately clean all of your gutters without the need for scaffolding. It can also reach up to four storeys high and, thanks to its unique camera, it can quickly find the cause of any blockage.
Roof cleaning
On top of our gutter cleaning services, we also offer a roof cleaning service. This is particularly important for flat roofs that collect debris and dirt more readily, but we can extend this service to all kinds of roofs. If there is a particular area of your roof that you would like us to focus on, just let us know and our team will take special care with it.
Want to book our team for gutter clearing? All you have to do is get in touch and we’ll take it from there. We operate throughout Cambridge and the surrounding villages.
How we clean your gutters
Most gutter cleaning in Cambridge can be done from the ground. The vacuum’s lightweight poles reach the gutter from the garden or pavement, which means nobody needs to climb onto the roof itself. That matters: the Health and Safety Executive says almost one in five deaths in construction work involve roof work, and it advises treating every roof as fragile until proved otherwise.
A typical visit runs like this:
- Vacuum the gutters. Leaves, moss, silt and the odd tennis ball are sucked out along every run.
- Camera check. The camera on the pole lets us see inside the gutter and spot blockages, cracked joints and loose brackets.
- Clear outlets and downpipes. We check that water flows freely from each outlet to the drain.
- Tidy up. Debris is bagged and taken away, and paths and patios are swept.
- Report. If we find a fault, you get photos and a written repair price. You are never pushed into extra work on the day.
Low gutters on bungalows and single-storey extensions are often quicker to clear by hand from a ladder, and we use whichever method is safest for the building.
When should you book gutter cleaning in Cambridge?
Autumn is the time. Searches for gutter cleaning peak from September to November, and that matches what happens on the roof: leaves come down just as the weather turns. The Met Office’s 1991–2020 averages for its Cambridge station show October as the wettest month, with about 59 mm of rain spread over nearly ten wet days.
For most homes, one clean in late autumn, after the trees are bare, is enough. If you have big trees nearby, or a flat-roofed extension that catches leaves from the main roof, add a quick check in spring. After a winter storm it is also worth looking for moss and tile fragments washed into the gutters, because they are often a clue that something on the roof has moved.
Roof cleaning and moss removal
In a dry, sunny place like Cambridge, moss is mostly a shade problem. It grows on north-facing slopes, on roofs under trees and on the back slopes of terraces that rarely see the sun, while the south-facing side of the same roof stays clean.
Whether moss needs removing is a fair question, and the experts don’t entirely agree. The Confederation of Roofing Contractors says moss rarely harms a roof. Checkatrade’s guide points out that thick growth traps moisture, widens cracks and ends up blocking gutters. Our view sits between the two: a light green tinge can be left alone, but thick cushions of moss on tiles, ridges or valleys are worth removing every couple of years.
We do it by hand, with scrapers and brushes, working down the roof from roof ladders or access equipment. The moss is bagged rather than pushed into the gutters, the gutters are cleared afterwards, and a biocide is applied to slow regrowth. Cutting back overhanging branches makes the biggest difference of all.
| Method | Guide price per m² | Our view |
|---|---|---|
| Hand removal and biocide | about £11.50 | Our usual method; gentle on tiles and slates |
| Soft wash (low pressure with a cleaning solution) | about £14 | Gentle, and can suit algae staining |
| Steam cleaning | about £11 | Lower pressure than a jet wash |
| Pressure washing | about £8.50 | Cheapest, but risks real damage; we don’t recommend it |
Prices are from Checkatrade’s April 2026 roof cleaning guide.
Why pressure washing can damage your roof
A pressure washer looks like a quick fix, and it is the cheapest method on paper. The trouble is what the jet does to a roof:
- Concrete tiles lose their surface. Once the outer layer is stripped away, the tile soaks up more water and moss grows back faster.
- Slates and old clay tiles are brittle. A jet can crack them, lift them or blow out the mortar on ridges and verges.
- Water is forced uphill. Tiles are designed to shed rain falling down the slope, not a jet aimed up under the laps, so water ends up on the underlay and in the loft.
- Frost finishes the job. Cambridge averages around 40 frosty nights a year, and a tile that has been opened up and soaked is more likely to flake.
If moss has already loosened tiles or slates, we can put them right; see our roof tiling and slates page.
What we often find while cleaning
Cleaning gives us a close look at the roofline, and some faults only show once the gutter is empty: leaking joints, snapped brackets, cracked downpipe offsets and gutters that have lost their fall. We photograph anything we find and price it separately. Gutter repairs and replacements are covered on our guttering page. If you want a fuller picture of the roof, a drone roof survey shows every slope without anyone setting foot on it.
Blocks of flats and commercial buildings
Cambridge has a high share of flats: 30.7% of homes are purpose-built flats, against 17.1% across England (Census 2021). Communal gutters on blocks are often forgotten until a leak appears in a top-floor flat. We clean gutters for managing agents, landlords and businesses as well as homeowners, and can book an annual autumn visit so it doesn’t slip. For larger roofs and maintenance work, see commercial roofing.
| Job | Typical price |
|---|---|
| Small terrace, about 5 m of gutter | £50–£120 |
| Semi-detached house, about 15 m of gutter | £100–£150 |
| Four-bed detached house, about 20 m of gutter | £130–£165 |
| Three-storey townhouse (gutter vacuum) | £165–£300 |
| Gutter clean, East of England range | £114–£194 (average £146) |
| Roof moss removal, per m² | £8.50–£14 |
| Moss removal, average semi-detached roof | £637.50–£862.50 |
Guide prices from Checkatrade's gutter cleaning (September 2026) and roof cleaning (April 2026) cost guides, including its East of England regional figures. If a roof needs scaffolding for cleaning, Checkatrade adds about £18 per m². We always confirm a fixed price before we start. Get your exact price.
Signs your gutters need clearing
- Water pouring over the front of the gutter when it rains
- Grass, weeds or moss growing along the gutter line
- Downpipes that gurgle, drip at the joints or stay dry in a downpour
- Dark streaks or green algae on the wall below the gutter
- Clumps of moss washed off the roof onto paths and patios
- A gutter sagging under the weight of wet debris
