5 Important Reasons to Clean Your Gutters This Fall

Every changing season has its share of home maintenance tasks. In the fall, the first thing on your list should be cleaning your gutters. It’s essential to clear your gutters of debris like leaves, twigs, and accumulated dirt to protect your home. In fact, if you delay a cleaning for too long, the structure of your home could suffer severe damage, resulting in expensive repairs. Here are just a few compelling reasons to put this task at the top of your to-do list.

1. Keep Your Roof in Good Condition

When gutters are blocked with debris, it’s your roof that often suffers. Rainwater is unable to drain away and pools over the roof. Over time, this means your roof starts to rot, which leads to leaks.

2. Protect Your Home from Water Damage

Water can damage more than just your roof. When water spills out of the gutters, it may run over the exterior of your home and even enter the interior. This can lead to an array of issues, including structural damage, mold, and damage to the walls, ceilings, and electrical system. Even a small leak inside your home can cause significant problems in less than 24 hours.

3. Prevent Cracks in the Foundation of Your House

One place in particular that could suffer from water damage is the foundation of your home. This is particularly a problem in the fall when the weather is turning cold, as water that has entered the foundation can freeze. As the water expands, it cracks the foundation.

4. Avoid Giving Pests a Home

Many issues due to clogged gutters are related to water damage, but another problem is pests. Leaves and other debris are inviting to all sorts of pests, from insects to rodents and even birds. A nest with just a couple of animals can quickly turn into an infestation when those pests breed.

5. Save Money

All of the above problems are expensive to repair. You’ll spend much less — not to mention, you’ll save yourself from worrying about your home — if you simply make sure to clean your gutters on schedule. This could even mean you avoid the need to replace your entire roof earlier than needed.

Cleaning gutters is also an excellent time to check your roof for other causes of concern. If you notice that there are already some signs of damage, you may need a roof repair. Edmonton homeowners can receive a professional service from Weatherproof Roofing. We do the job right the first time to avoid the need for subsequent repairs in the near future. Call us today.

Rachel Grier