When it rains, a roof only does its job if the water reaches the end of its path: from the tiles to the gutter, from the gutter to the downpipe, and from the pipe to the sewer or the street. If the gutter is full of leaves and soil, the water spills where it should not. This guide says when to clean, how to check from the ground that water runs off, who should climb, and what a portal publishes on prices. We do not clean gutters and we do not recommend firms.
Updated 3 November 2026. General information. Every house is different.
The essentials
- The APICER and CTCV guide (2nd edition, 2018) says regular gutter upkeep, twice a year, is indispensable.
- Look from the ground first. In real rain, watch the eaves, the walls and the foot of the downpipes. You do not need to climb for this.
- The risk is the fall. Do not go up a ladder or onto the roof alone. Hire someone with fall protection.
- Prices: there is no official table. The Habitissimo portal gives 80 to 200 EUR “per unit” (10 June 2026) without saying what a unit is. Cleaning is excluded from the 6% VAT rate.
Why gutters matter
The APICER and CTCV guide describes the path: water runs along the tile channels to the eaves, where it falls free or is collected by gutters, then goes down pipes to the drainage system. It says this depends on a roof in good condition and on regular upkeep.
When drainage fails, the guide speaks of concentrated water, leaks and decay of materials. It also mentions plants at the eaves and in the gutters, which can hold water and shift tiles. A clean gutter protects the eaves, the wall and the roof.
When to clean
The guide says regular upkeep twice a year (case 3, page 99), without naming months. Habitissimo, which is commercial and not a standard, advises cleaning mainly before the rainy season. See the roof checklist before winter.
Signs of a blocked gutter
Everyday observations, not a list from any standard:
- water spilling over the gutter when it rains;
- damp or streak marks on the facade under the eaves;
- grass, moss or small shrubs growing in the gutter;
- water falling beside the downpipe, or a dry pipe in heavy rain;
- a gutter pulling away from the wall or dripping at the joints.
Stains on the ceiling inside may mean more than a blockage. The roof leak causes guide helps you find out.
Checking from the ground
In heavy rain, with an umbrella and no climbing:
- Look along the eaves. Water should enter the gutter, not jump over it.
- Follow the gutter to the downpipe. Water should run, not stand.
- Check the foot of the pipe. Water should reach the sewer or flow away from the wall.
- Look for drips at the joints.
If any point fails, call someone who can climb. The APICER and CTCV guide also asks that downpipes do not discharge straight onto the tiles and that gutters have enough brackets and wind-resistant fixings. A professional should judge that.
Who should do it, and the fall risk
The hard part is not removing leaves; it is getting there. The ACT page on storms describes work on damaged roofs as a high-risk scenario for people working at height.
A document by European authorities on portable ladders (June 2018, with Portugal in the group) quotes Directive 2009/104/EC: a ladder as a work position at height is limited to cases where safer equipment is not justified because the risk is low and the use is short. The rule is for employees, not for your home, but it shows how seriously the risk is taken.
Our advice, which is ours and not from a source:
- do not go up alone on a ladder leaning on the eaves;
- for any height that is not low and safe, hire people who work with fall protection. The guide on hiring a cleaning firm says what to ask.
On an old asbestos-cement roof, do not scrape or wash the gutter: see the asbestos guide.
What a firm does
In general it removes debris and unblocks the gutter; Habitissimo does not detail what each price includes. Before you accept, ask:
- whether it includes the downpipes and clearing them, or only the gutter;
- where the waste goes (leaves, soil, moss);
- whether it checks joints, fixings and slope and warns you of what needs repair;
- whether roof cleaning (methods) is in the same quote or separate.
What it costs
There is no official price table. We found a private quote-request portal, Habitissimo, and what it publishes is not a price for your home.
On its page “Limpeza de algerozes e caleiras”, stating “article updated 10/06/2026”:
| Item | Value |
|---|---|
| Average price | 140 EUR per unit |
| Range | 80 to 200 EUR per unit |
| Gutter cleaning, 150 m² house | 350 EUR |
| Gutter cleaning, 4-storey building | 550 EUR |
| Gutters and downpipes, 200 m² warehouse | 300 EUR |
| Unblocking gutters | 150 EUR |
| Cleaning and waterproofing | 90 EUR |
| “Deep maintenance” | 300 to 600 EUR |
The page does not define “unit”, does not say what each value includes and does not mention VAT. Its city ranges go up to 500 EUR (90 to 500 EUR in Lisbon and Porto), which does not match the 80 to 200 EUR range. On the same portal’s roof-cleaning page, gutters appear at about 400 EUR. See the roof cleaning price. Take this as an order of magnitude, never as a price.
VAT: our guide to VAT on roof works explains that cleaning is excluded from the 6% rate. We did not confirm whether gutter cleaning has its own rule. Ask for the VAT in writing on the quote. Repairing gutters is different: the same guide lists them under repair, at 6% on labour.
To compare offers, use the quote checker and the contractor check. If the roof needs repair, see the repair hub.
What we could not confirm
- Frequency for houses near trees. APICER and CTCV give twice a year; we saw no other figure.
- What a “unit” is in Habitissimo’s price, what it includes, and the VAT.
- A price per linear metre for cleaning. We only found installation prices.
- RGSPPDADAR rules (Decreto Regulamentar 23/95) on rainwater in buildings: we did not read the articles, so we cite no rule.
- ACT leaflets on roof work: not read; we cite only the storms page and the ladders document.
Sources (read on 3 November 2026)
- APICER and CTCV, Guia para Projeto e Aplicação de Telhas Cerâmicas, 2nd edition, 2018 (section 5.2.6 “Sistemas de drenagem”; case 3 “Desadequação e falta de manutenção dos sistemas de drenagem”, page 99).
- Habitissimo, Limpeza de algerozes e caleiras, article updated 10 June 2026. Private quote portal.
- ACT, Intempéries: como agir.
- Sub-GT MACHEX / SLIC, Utilização de escadas portáteis, June 2018 (quotes Directive 2009/104/EC, annex II, point 4.1).
- Our guide to VAT on roof works.