Gutters should be cleaned and inspected at least once a year, or every six months if your property is surrounded by tall trees or exposed to wind driven debris. When gutters are not properly maintained, dust, branches, dry leaves, dead birds and other debris prevent rain water flow which could lead to property damage.
Gutters should last a long time, but will wear out and could become damaged sooner if you don't keep them clean. Debris build up in gutters and added water from rain makes them heavy. This extra weight can cause gutters to bend, pull out fasteners, and even break off in extreme cases. Gutters can't effectively do their job if they are broken or sagging down and will need replacing, which can be much more costly than keeping them maintained.
Metal gutters will rust out quickly if excess water is allowed to sit in your gutters for long periods of time not being able to dry out because of build up and blockages. This will lead to the rust eating out the metal and eventually creating small holes in your gutter that will begin leaking water.