Clean. Your. Gutters.
I can’t stress this enough. If you do one thing to maintain your home throughout this fall season (and into the winter) then let it be keeping your home’s gutters free and clear of leaves, dirt, and other obstructions.
Your roof was designed and engineered specifically for water to flow downward and off of it, into your gutter, and down the downspout. A blockage at any part of this system could result in water pooling, and water, especially over time, can do some serious damage. If you don’t believe that water is a powerful force, just look at what the Colorado River has done with the Grand Canyon.
Pooling water can find its way into your home, and when it does it can lead to mold – which usually isn’t covered when it results from a maintenance-derived issue. Even worse damage can occur in late Fall, when temperatures drop below freezing. That gutter that filled to the brim with water earlier in the day during a rainstorm could now freeze solid. It could lift shingles, it could split seams – remember, water expands when it freezes.
Another job your gutters are very good at is directing water away from your home, to a safe place where it wont cause harm. In a downpour, a blocked gutter could send its water directly over the side, which could lead to ponding around the base of your home, and eventually, to water seeping into your basement or foundation – a loss that is almost never covered by your homeowners policy.
After all of this, if you still need a reason to get outside and get those gutters cleaned, go on the internet and search “Ice Dam Damage” and I can guarantee you won’t like what you see. Just because you have insurance, doesn’t mean you want to use it – at least not like this. Plus, its important to remember that just like an iceberg at sea, the damage that you can see on the surface of your wall – as bad as it is – is usually an indicator that far greater damage is hiding underneath.
Hopefully by now, you’ve already put this article down and gotten started on the gutters, or picked up the phone to ask a professional for an appointment.
