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ANOKA COUNTY, MN
Gutter cleaning in Blaine, MN
Cleared by hand, flushed to confirm they flow, and every bag of debris hauled away.
Blaine trees fill gutters with leaves, seeds and needles, and a packed gutter cannot carry rain away from the roof. Glass House clears the gutters, flushes them and hauls the debris away.
Carson Brenny, the owner, quotes and cleans every gutter himself. His ladders carry padded standoffs, so nothing rests on or marks the gutters, and levelers that keep them steady on soft ground.
A SECOND SET OF EYES
Any damage we notice on your roof, gutters or fascia is photographed, noted and shown to you.
★ Rated 4.9 on Google · 44 reviews
Insured to $2M
Owner-operated
Based in Ham Lake
BLAINE SPECIFICS
What gutter cleaning means in Blaine
The local conditions that shape how Glass House approaches gutter cleaning in Blaine, and the standards it holds to on every visit.
TREES
Oaks, the most plentiful shade tree
Blaine calls oaks its most plentiful neighborhood shade trees and loses hundreds to oak wilt every year. The city is also removing an estimated 1,200 boulevard ash trees because of emerald ash borer. Oak shade keeps roofs and siding damp, which algae and moss need, and oak leaves and catkins fill gutters each year. Dying ash turn brittle and drop limbs onto roofs and into gutters until they are removed. Leaves and seeds from trees like these are what pack gutters between visits.
HOMES
Newer homes, built 1990s to 2010s
The median Blaine home was built in 1996, and more than half were built between 1990 and 2019. Newer builds and original 1990s siding often share a street. About 30 years of sun breaks the surface of 1990s vinyl and paint down into a chalky film called oxidation, which streaks when rain runs over it. Newer builds stay easiest to keep clean when growth is washed off before it sets in. Gutters that age can sag or pull loose, and any we find are photographed and reported, not repaired.
WETLANDS
Wetlands and more than 700 ponds
Blaine has more than 700 stormwater ponds and infiltration basins, and the Blaine Wetland Sanctuary covers more than 500 acres of wetland and upland. That much standing water keeps the air around nearby homes humid, so siding, roofs and decks dry slowly after rain and dew. Algae, mildew and moss take hold on surfaces that stay damp, usually starting on the shaded north side. Overflow on damp lots keeps fascia and siding wet, feeding algae and rot.
COMMUNITY STANDARDS
Community standards for exteriors
Blaine's community standards require corrective action when siding, fascia or roof surfaces are missing, rotting or have peeling paint over 20% of any one side. Algae, dirt and chalky film can hide soft fascia or peeling paint. A clean exterior reveals those problems while they are still small and less costly to repair, well before they approach the 20% mark. A gutter that cannot flow puts stress on the roof edge and brings on rot and overflow staining.
Sources: City of Blaine, Oak Wilt; City of Blaine, Emerald Ash Borer; Point2Homes, Blaine demographics (U.S. Census ACS 2019-2023); City of Blaine, Stormwater Management; City of Blaine, Blaine Wetland Sanctuary; City of Blaine, Residential Guide to Community Standards (2024).
HOW WE CLEAN GUTTERS
One standard, with the method matched to each gutter
01
Clear it the right way
Packed leaves and needles come out by hand, and a blower or a flush handles the rest when that is the better tool that day. The choice depends on what is in the gutter, how it is built and whether it has guards.
Three things never vary: your gutters end up flowing, your walkways end up clean, and the debris leaves with us.
GUTTER GUARDS: THE HONEST ANSWER
Gutters with guards can be cleaned with a blowout or a flush, but we guarantee only the gutter, not the guard. Around here, guards pack with pine needles that must be picked out by hand, and in our experience most guards make cleaning harder. We never remove, install or lift guards.
02
Clean every surface below
Walkways, patios, decks, driveways and every other surface people walk on are left free of debris. Whatever falls during the work is collected along with what comes out of the gutters, so nothing is left behind in the yard.
03
Bag it and haul it away
All debris is bagged and hauled away with us. It does not go into your yard or your trash bin, so there is nothing left for you to carry off or dispose of after the visit.
04
Flush gutters and downspouts
Water is run through every gutter and downspout to confirm it flows. If water does not come out the bottom of a downspout, there is a blockage inside. We clear what we can reach, and because we never take downspouts or gutter hardware apart, a deeper clog is located and reported to you.
05
Photos and a damage report
Before and after photos are attached to your receipt. Most homeowners never climb up to see their own gutters or roof, so anything we notice while we are up there, from a loose hanger to damaged fascia, is documented and shown to you.
FOR BLAINE HOMES
What to know before your visit
SPRING
Clear winter debris
Seeds, needles and the debris that sat under the snow come out before spring rain, so the water drains through the downspouts instead of spilling over onto the siding.
AT HOME
Kids and pets welcome
Kids and pets are welcome at home during the visit. We ask only that they are not underfoot while the work is underway and debris is coming down.
TREES
Trim with care
Trimming overhanging branches reduces gutter debris, but check the timing on oaks first. Blaine loses hundreds of oaks to oak wilt every year, so oaks are best left unwounded in spring and early summer.
BEFORE WE COME
Outside spigot on
The flush runs on your outside spigot, so it needs to be on and reachable rather than shut off at the inside valve or behind a locked gate.
HOW PRICING WORKS
Priced by your home, confirmed before we start
YOUR GUTTER SERVICE, AT A GLANCE
QUOTE FIRST
Gutter cleaning
Quoted
Cleared, flushed, downspouts checked and debris hauled away
Gutter brightening
Quoted
Tiger stripes removed from the outside face
Brightening Guarantee
No charge
If the stripes do not come off, there is no charge
Before and after photos
Included
Attached to your receipt when the job is done
Priced by the size of your home
Quote first
Gutter cleaning and gutter brightening are priced by the size of your home, and Carson confirms the exact price before any work starts. Tell us about your home or send a photo, and we will prepare your quote.
THE OWNER
Blaine oaks, full gutters and a watchful eye
Carson Brenny went to Blaine High School and now owns and runs Glass House, based in Ham Lake. Every gutter job is his from start to finish, with no crews, subcontractors or handoffs: he quotes it, clears and flushes the gutters himself, and walks the finished job with the homeowner. Exterior cleaning has been his full-time work since 2020.
Blaine calls oaks its most plentiful shade trees, and their leaves and catkins pack gutters every year. The city's community standards also call for corrective action when fascia is rotting, and overflowing gutters feed that rot. Carson flushes every downspout and photographs anything he sees, so problems surface while they are small.
IN CARSON'S WORDS
“It's my neighbors' homes: their biggest investment, one of the places they spend the most time, and where the people they care about most live. It's something everyone should enjoy, and I believe that.”
Carson Brenny, owner
✓
Downspouts flushed to confirm they flow
✓
Anything noticed on the roof or fascia photographed
✓
Walkways, patios and decks left free of debris
WHAT IS INCLUDED
What gutter cleaning includes, and what it does not
Gutter cleaning empties the inside of the gutter and confirms the water runs. These lists show exactly where the service starts and stops.
INCLUDED
In every gutter cleaning
• Cleared by hand, blown out or flushed, whichever suits the gutter
• Every gutter and downspout flushed to confirm it flows
• Reachable downspout clogs cleared, and deeper ones reported
• Gutters with guards cleaned with a blowout or a flush
• Walkways, patios and decks left free of debris
• Debris bagged and hauled away with us
• Before and after photos, with notes on anything we notice
NOT INCLUDED
Outside a gutter cleaning
• Repairs, re-pitching, sealing leaks or new hangers
• Taking downspouts or gutter hardware apart
• Removing, installing or lifting gutter guards
• Debris packed into the guards themselves
• Tiger stripes on the face, removed by gutter brightening
• Underground drain repair and heat cable work
EQUIPMENT AND METHODS
The right method for that gutter, that day
Packed debris comes out by hand, and a blower or a flush handles the rest when that is the better tool that day. Water from your outside spigot is then run through every gutter and downspout to confirm it flows. Every ladder carries padded standoffs that hold it off the gutter, and levelers for soft ground. Gutter brightening, described below, is a separate service with its own chemistry and a carbon fiber pole that works from the ground.
BLAINE QUESTIONS
Gutter Cleaning in Blaine: FAQ
When should Blaine gutters be cleaned in the fall?
After the leaves are down and before the first hard freeze, so wet debris does not freeze in place over the winter. That window closes earlier some years than others, so booking in early fall keeps a place on the schedule before the cold arrives.
Do you serve all of Blaine?
Yes, every neighborhood in Blaine. Glass House is based in Ham Lake, and Blaine is part of its regular north metro service area, so there is no trip fee. Carson quotes, cleans and walks every job himself, wherever in Blaine your home is.
How often should gutters be cleaned in Minnesota?
Most north metro homes need gutter cleaning twice a year, in spring and fall. Minnesota's sharp seasonal swings pile debris into gutters faster than in most of the country, and gutters are usually packed full again six months after a cleaning, which surprises many homeowners.
Do you haul the debris away?
Yes, on every job. All debris is bagged and hauled away with us, so it does not end up in your yard or your trash bin. Walkways, patios, decks and driveways are also left free of anything that fell during the work.
Do you clean the downspouts?
Yes. Every gutter and downspout is flushed after cleaning to confirm it flows, and blockages we can reach are cleared. If water does not come out the bottom of a downspout, there is a clog inside. We never take downspouts or gutter hardware apart, so a deeper clog is located and reported to you.
Will cleaning remove the black streaks on my gutters?
No. Gutter cleaning empties the inside of the gutter. The black streaks on the outside face are tiger stripes, carbon residue from the shingles bonded to the aluminum, and they are removed by gutter brightening, a separate service. If the stripes do not come off, there is no charge.
