Pay attention to gutters as winter preparations begin
Shorter days and cooler temperatures are a sign that fall is here and a reminder for homeowners to check their gutters for leaves and debris as an essential part seasonal maintenance.
Gutters help collect and direct rainwater away from your home, which helps prevent water damage.
The National Center for Healthy Housing recommends cleaning your gutters at least twice a year, in the spring and in the fall, although it may be a good idea to check them for debris more frequently.
鈥淎s soon as the leaves start falling, that蘑菇视频 when they hit the roof and clog gutters,鈥� said Josh Lynch, owner of Lynch蘑菇视频 Cleaning of Hopwood.
Lynch said it蘑菇视频 best to wait until the trees are bare to have your gutters cleaned, which generally requires a professional.
According to Realtor.com, if gutters leak or downspouts are clogged, water can spill out or accumulate near foundations, soaking the soil and causing foundation walls to settle.
The Insurance Information Institute reported that ice, snow and wind can also have devastating consequences.
鈥淚f (gutters) are clogged when the snow comes, when it melts and freezes the ice builds up and weighs them down and they can pull away from the house,鈥� said Lynch.
鈥淭here蘑菇视频 a lot of damage a dirty gutter can cause.鈥�
Each winter the institute reported there are billions of dollars in insured losses because of burst pipes, frozen gutters and other weather-related disasters.
The institute recommends that homeowners need to remove leaves, acorns, sticks and other debris from gutters, so melting snow and ice can flow freely and to check your roof insulation.
鈥淕utter cleaning can be a pretty simple task this time of the year, but a lot of times consumers tend to skip over it,鈥� said Angie Hicks, founder of Angie蘑菇视频 List, the nation蘑菇视频 top provider of consumer reviews. 鈥淭hat can be dangerous because your gutters are your first line of defense against water problems in your home.鈥�
Hicks said while a lot of people tackle gutter cleaning as a do-it-yourself project, it can be rather dangerous if you don鈥檛 have the right equipment or are not using it properly.
When hiring a professional, Lynch recommended they are insured to prevent liability issues.
Lynch蘑菇视频 company has provided various cleaning services for over seven years to gutters, roofs, parking lots, home, business and rental properties along with pressure washing, floor stripping and season cleaning.