It’s finally fall, which means it’s time to grab your ladder and start cleaning out your gutters right away. You won’t want to put this chore on the backburner for too long. Why? Read ahead to find out why you should always clean your gutters during fall.
Preventing Water Damage
Leaves, sticks and pine needles can stop your gutters from doing what they’re designed to do: collect rainwater coming down from the roof and direct it toward the downspout and away from your home’s foundation.
When the gutters are too full of natural debris, they can’t offer a clear path for the rainwater to drain. Instead, the debris causes clogs and makes the gutter system fill up with water. This can cause several problems:
- Roof leaks
- Water damage to the roof
- Water damage to the siding
- Sagging gutters
And worst of all, this problem could lead to a basement flood during a heavy rainstorm. Just take a look at the cost of repairs for a flooded basement — you will want to avoid that expensive emergency as much as you can.
Spotting Repair Needs
It’s hard to notice anything wrong with your gutters and your roof from the ground floor. You won’t spot anything until you have a closer view.
Cleaning your gutters gives you the perfect opportunity to spot problems that need attention, like missing shingles and loose step flashing. If you find anything of concern, you should call professional roofers to come and fix them as quickly as possible.
What if you don’t have enough savings to handle immediate repairs? It may seem smarter to ignore the problem until you can collect enough savings to cover the repair costs, but the reality is that some roofing problems can’t be ignored. If they go untouched, they could get much worse during the winter and cost you a lot more money to fix come springtime.
If you don’t have enough savings at the moment, you could apply for a personal loan online. It could help you access funds in a short amount of time so that you can get these urgent repairs dealt with. If you’re unsure about this strategy, you should click here to see what are the benefits of using personal loans for emergencies like this. This information could change your perspective!
Keeping Critters Out
Piles of dead leaves and twigs make excellent nesting grounds for all sorts of pests. When you let your gutters fill up with those nesting materials, you’re rolling out the welcome mat for pests to come to your roof and sneak indoors. Check out the signs of pest infestation to see whether any of them are familiar. You might already have some critters invading your home. If that’s true, call pest control and get that dealt with right away.
Don’t let critters become your new roommates. Keep them away from your home by cleaning out your gutters and downspouts this fall. A clear drainage system won’t make for a comfortable nesting ground.
Your gutters don’t need constant attention. You’ll only have to clear them out two times a year, in the fall and then in the spring. Two weekends of hard work can help protect your home from disaster for the rest of the year.