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3 Home Issues to Tackle Before Winter: Gutters

Posted on October 19, 2016 in Seasonal Home Tips

gutter cleaning

Winter will be here before you know it, which means you should be taking steps now in order to protect your home. In this blog series, our Delaware Valley home improvement company has a few tips for how to prepare.

There are many elements of a home that work in unison to shelter and protect your family, and your gutters are one of them. Though they may seem like a small asset, your gutters actually work hard to direct water away from your roof, your exterior, and your foundation. Water can compromise any of these parts of your home, which is why it’s important that your gutters function properly.

The Importance of Clean Gutters

During the fall, your gutters will collect debris and leaves from trees around the area and all of this build-up could cause major problems: Your gutters could start to pull away from your home or they could retain water – both of which could lead to water damage.

If your gutters aren’t situated close to your roofing system (like they should be), the water on your roof will have nowhere to go but down the sides of your home and saturate your foundation. This could lead to water damage inside your home and a weakened foundation. If your gutters are clogged and rain water has nowhere to flow, it will sit inside of your gutters. Again, the water on your roof will have nowhere to go and could end up back inside your home. Once winter hits, this retained water could freeze into an ice dam; as snow and ice melt off of your roof, it will be stopped by the dam and will build up, leading to major roof damage.

What to Do

To keep your gutters flowing smoothy, you should clean them at least once a year (or up to four times if you have lots of large trees around your property). For especially hard-to-reach gutters, we offer a gutter cleaning service that can help keep them in good shape and make sure they do their job right. Don’t wait! Give us a call today to set up your gutter cleaning appointment.