Generally, professional gutter cleaning companies base cost estimates on the length of your home's gutter system. Larger homes naturally require longer gutter systems — meaning more work to get them cleaned.

Many companies will publicize a general price range for gutter cleaning services, and will determine a final price once they've viewed the property. For example, NJ Four Seasons Gutter Cleaning, located in Paterson, New Jersey, charges a labor cost of between $75 and $115 for gutter cleaning, depending on the home's size and how tricky it is to access the gutters. And Royal Chimney & Gutter Services, located in Carmel, New York, charges $125 to clean 200 linear feet of gutters on a ranch-style home.

Here are national average prices for gutter cleaning services on a one-story home, depending on the size of your property.

National Average Gutter Cleaning Prices

• 0–1,000 sq ft: $98
• 1,000–2,000 sq ft: $119
• 2,000–3,000 sq ft: $133
• 3,000–4,000 sq ft: $174
• 4,000–5,000 sq ft: $215

Gutter cleaning can be risky — balancing on steep roofs or standing on tall ladders carries inherent danger. While your average gutter clearing may just require a tall ladder, these more-dangerous jobs may leave the cleaner balancing on a steep roof to clean, or dealing with gutters on a three-story home. Typically, companies will charge additional costs if they think the gutter cleaning job comes with any risk. Potential risks include:

• Second- or third-story gutters
• Unstable terrain
• Roofs with steep pitches
• Hard-to-reach gutters.

For example, Royal Chimney & Gutter's gutter cleaning prices range between $200 and $250 for riskier jobs.

Gutters catch falling rain and snow and divert it away from our precious houses. But gutters also catch anything else that falls — including pollen, leaves, twigs, branches and all other sorts of debris. Clogged gutters lead to all sorts of problems with your foundation, soffits and fascia boards, while clean gutters allow for water to properly drain from your roof and out the downspout. Clean gutters prevent these issues down the line, saving you money in the long run.

Clearing your gutters means getting rid of all that nasty debris that's blocking the water flow and cleaning out any downspouts. And if your gutter system is in need of repair, professionals can help solve that problem after the cleaning. The most common repairs include sagging and leaking gutters. Both of these repairs can be tackled in less than a day using little more than sealant and additional gutter hangers.

While this is a DIY-able job, professional cleaners are better equipped to access tricky-to-reach locations and handle gutter cleaning on a two-story home.

Most homeowners clean their gutters and downspouts during the fall and winter months. After all, that's when the leaves fall, clogging gutters and causing problems and poor drainage. If your gutters are in disrepair in fall, don't procrastinate on hiring a pro to clean them: Clogs can cause your roof to leak, potentially leading to a damaged foundation or rot inside your home — leading to expensive repairs. Suddenly, the $75 to $125 you would have spent on autumn gutter cleaning seems cheap.

But smart homeowners think ahead. Spring and summer are the slow season, and if your gutters are in decent shape, it may not hurt to wait or get the job done early. Cleaning out your gutters then also helps ensure you have clean gutters for the impending rainy season. During the slow season, costs are lower, and generally you'll save money on gutter cleaning.

Getting your gutters and downspouts cleaned prevent water damage to your home, so you should spring for clearing once a year. However, if you become a loyal and frequent customer to your favorite company, you may get a loyalty discount on cleaning, or perks during the off-season. For example, Royal Chimney & Gutter charges $125 during the winter months, but customers who get their gutters cleared then pay only $40 for a light cleaning in spring.