Fall has arrived with all its leaf-changing, apple-picking, sweater-wearing, pumpkin-spicing, football-watching, warm cider-sipping, bonfire-burning glory. And those falling leaves. So very many leaves.
Gone are the long, summer days, replaced by shorter cooler ones to give us a hint of what’s just around the corner: winter. Harsh winter weather conditions of snow, ice, and wind can wreak havoc on your home’s exterior, but with a little preparedness, you can minimize winter’s harmful effects. After all, the best offense is a good defense.
Winterize your home.
Remove any window air conditioners and store them for the winter. Take out window screens and replace them with storm windows. Storm windows not only help to keep warm air in which saves you money in heating costs, but screens can tear if left in and snow and ice could build up between the screen and window glass and cause exterior damage or leaks in your window frames. While you’re focusing on your windows and doors, put up weatherstripping to further help you with your winter heating costs.
Clean your yard.
Empty any hoses before the water can freeze in them and store them. Put away any garden decorations, lawn furniture, children’s toys, and any items that have the potential to become airborne during a windy storm and damage your siding or windows.
Remove overhanging branches.
Trees or shrubs that have branches that are near or above your house can become weighed down with heavy snow and ice and collapse onto your roof or siding.
Service your gutters.
During the fall, it’s important to make sure your gutters are free of any cracks and all leaves and debris are cleared. Make sure that your downspouts are properly draining at an adequate distance from your home. If there’s a clog in your downspout, it can cause water to back up into your gutters and freeze which can lead to ice dams and destruction of your roof and gutters. If they are not draining far enough from your home’s foundation, it could lead to cracks in your foundation as the water freezes, thaws, and freezes again.
After all those leaves have fallen, gutters should be cleared and flushed to remove leaves, acorns, and other debris that can cause water to back up and freeze in your gutters. Cleaning your gutters means climbing up on a ladder that may or may not be stable, trying to stay dry while you flush them with water, and pulling out all of that nasty muck that has accumulated since you last cleaned them. Nobody likes cleaning gutters.
Nobody but us, that is!
At Gutterpros, our technicians love cleaning gutters! We’ll not only clean them, but we’ll also perform a thorough inspection to look for any cracks or damage to them that should be repaired before inclement weather hits. With proper maintenance, your gutters will last through many harsh winters.
Call Gutterpros today at (314) 656-7195 and let us clean your gutters so you can get back to enjoying the wonderful season of fall!