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In the late fall and early spring you might see a neighbor on their ladder, and he or she is probably cleaning gutters because maybe some small trees are growing in the them.  The reality is that it is very important to the roof and to help eliminate ice dams in the winter.  What happens in the fall is that leaves and other debris build up.  The home, depending on age and amount of propert insulation, will heat up and melt the snow on the shingles.  In very cold months, the furnace must run constantly to keep the home warm.  The result is a very warm room with lots of snow on it, at least here in Michigan.  That constant heating and cooling causes the snow to turn to ice.  The ice dams begin to form and project over the gutters and sometimes 2-3 feet into the roof.  That build up creates a water issue inside the home.  Sometimes in older homes the roof pitch is less that 6/12 or has several layers of shingles.  This is a recipe for a roof leak and possible drywall and ceiling problems. 

The importance of cleaning gutters in the spring is to help keep the gutters clean from "run over" where the debris and rain water causes more water than what the gutters can handle.  When the water overflows all spring and summer the water has no place to go but next to the foundation.  Again, in older homes, the grade may be towards a home and thus the water/rain water has no place to go but back down along the foundation.  When this happens you can get water in the basement and or at least "water in the block."  So next time you see someone cleaning the gutters twice a year, just remember they are doing some great preventive measures to preserve their home.  Of course for a little bit more money, you can install some sort of a gutter guard which will help keep the leaves and debris out and you won't have to climb the ladder any more to remove the debris.  Stay safe and keep those gutters clean.