Why You Need To Protect Your Gutters Before Winter

Leaf peeping season in Massachusetts is one of the most cherished times of the year, but leaves can quickly become a nuisance when left lurking on your roof and gutters. They can cause a myriad of issues if they aren’t addressed – let’s see explore how they affect your home:

Prevent Gutter Overflow

Whenever branches or leaves fall onto your roof, they end up in the gutters after a storm. Once the debris is in the gutters, it can start to collect water and create a large clog. This leads to overflow falling straight down and running down the siding of your home. It can even lead to problems with the foundation down the line. If gutters get heavy enough, they can even sag and detach. 

Prevent Ice Dams From Forming

With temperatures starting to dip, standing water left in your clogged gutters has the opportunity to freeze, making them even heavier. This also brings ice dams into the equation. They are patches of ice that build up on the edges of roofs near the gutters. Ice dams prevent snow from melting off of your roof instead of causing a dangerous and heavy buildup of snow and ice. They can cause damage to your roof, attic, soffits & more. 

Gutter Maintenance Mitigates Issues

Proper gutter maintenance is one of the best ways to ensure that issues won’t happen with your gutters. Checking your gutters when it rains is a smart move, and clearing any debris before it has a chance to compound because it does quickly. 

Below are some gutter cleaning tips: 

• Use a leaf blower where you can to blow debris and leaves out from gutters
• Clean gutters and downspouts out by hand if necessary
• Have your gutters inspected by a pro
• Replace gutters if they’re showing leaks and cracks

Gutter maintenance is usually a job that should be left to professionals. It can be dangerous to climb ladders, especially around wet leaves, so it’s best to leave the job to someone with the correct tools and safety gear. Today, there are even gutter guards and other solutions that keep gutters from becoming blocked in the first place. 

Gutters are such an important aspect of your home’s ecosystem that are often overlooked. Contact our team at Tom Curren Companies today if you’re in need of our wood gutter repair & replacement services.