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Why Do Gutters Clog

admin — Thu, 08 Jan 2015 13:53:29 +0000

Why Do Gutters Clog

Gutters aren’t just for decoration, nor are they optional. Did you know a rainstorm can exert around 1,000 pounds of pressure on a roof, but that rain gutters displace nearly 600 pounds of pressure? Gutters keep rainwater from hitting with its full force. But they cannot work effectively if twigs, dirt and leaves clog gutters. Gutters need to be kept clean and maintained three to four times a year.

What are the problems that occur due to a clogged gutter system? A clog doesn’t just mean water is left standing stagnant in a gutter and attracting mosquitoes and collecting mold. Clogs can cause a host of other problems, including cracks in a home’s foundation.

Clogs Shorten the Life of a Gutter

Allowing twigs, leaves, and dirt to accumulate may cause your gutter to rust or develop a hole. Without treating these holes quickly, gutters may need to be replaced within five years. An aluminum gutter (a popular choice for home gutters), when properly cared for can last up to twenty years.

How much do I have to spend on sufficient gutters?

Hiring a professional to replace old gutters that are clogging with new, working gutters can vary widely, from $3 per square foot to more than $7 a square foot. Pricing can depend on the type of gutters installed. Copper can cost more than steel or aluminum. Not only will price vary, but size will vary as well. Five-inch gutters are the residential norm, but homeowners should consider getting six-inch commercial gutters. An extra inch of gutter may not increase the price too much and it could save homeowners the heartache of clogged gutters and expensive repairs.

Why You Shouldn’t Treat a Clog Yourself

Clogs may be a bigger problem than they look because they cause hidden damage. But they are also dangerous because you may have to use a ladder to reach a clog safely. What if you cannot comfortably clean a clog from a ladder? And even if you can, who wants to be up on a ladder for hours at a time. It might be time to call a professional before a fall from a ladder sends you to the emergency room.

Professionals have special equipment to clean a clog, such as ladder extensions or a bucket lift that allows them to reach a roof gutter. Is it difficult to clean a clog? This may depend on roof pitch and shape. Generally, a standard ladder can reach first or second-story gutters. Single-story ranch homes may be easier for professionals to reach and clean because they are low-pitched. Cape-cod style homes may present the most challenges because their even eaves make the area more difficult to clean. They also tend to have steeper pitched roofs.

How expensive is it to have a pro clean your gutters? The cost of gutter cleaning can vary between $165 and $500, depending on size of the home, grade of roof, how many repairs must be made and other factors.

A professional can easily repair warped guttering and perform cleaning on clogged gutters on a regular basis. It is best to have a professional check and recommend needed repairs to leaking sections or replacement of old gutters before clogs occur. It is better to be proactive and it may save many homeowners from expensive home repairs in the future.

How to Prepare Your Gutters for Winter

admin — Tue, 04 Nov 2014 14:02:50 +0000

How to Prepare Your Gutters for Winter

Daylight savings time has come and gone, and Winter is around the corner. Though the cooler weather first felt like a nice break from those humid summer days, you’ll soon be waking up to frost on the lawn. Don’t get caught scrambling to fix up your home in cold temperatures or snowy weather. Follow these simple tips you can use now to prepare your home for when the unfavorable conditions happen.

Blocking Leaks

One of the easiest ways to save money on your heating bill is blocking small leaks on both the inside and outside of your home. It's a small project that pays big dividends. According to EarthWorks Group, an average American home has a total number of leaks that collectively make up a nine-square-foot hole.

Take a look around common areas where leaks happen: windows and doors, and near outlets. Put some sweeps under doors (you can even use rolled up towels for a cheaper alternative) to close the space where drafts leak through. Seal up the other spots around your windows by caulking them from the outside or using weather stripping.

Insulation

Another area to check is insulation. This is a job that doesn’t involve much but will instantly make your home more energy efficient.

No matter where you live, you should aim for a minimum of 12 inches of insulation in your attic. What’s the simple rule of thumb? If you can see the ceiling joists, you need more insulation covering. Just make sure there is no paper backing on your insulation if you’re adding to spots with pre-existing coverage, as it can cause moisture problems. There are even eco-friendly options that don’t omit harmful chemicals and won’t irritate skin during installation.

Wrapping Pipes

Similar to installing insulation, wrapping pipes around the home is a painless and crucial preventive step you can take before cold weather sets in.

By wrapping your pipes with insulation, you cover two areas: safety and saving energy. First, you reduce the likelihood that your pipes will freeze and burst – a disaster during the winter – by locating and covering pipes that are vulnerable.

And second, you can save money on your heating bill with insulated pipes. The water in the pipes will stay hotter, meaning less time running water waiting for it to heat up and less heat generation needed from the boiler. You will conserve water and heat, making your home safer and your bills cheaper.

Storm Windows

A big trend in preparing your home for cold weather is energy conservation, so your home stays warm in the most efficient way possible. You can increase energy efficiency in your home about 45% by installing storm windows.

These go on the outside of your regular windows and provide extra protection against the cold weather and adverse conditions. Of course, this method for conserving heat is a bit costly. As a temporary (yet very affordable and effective) fix, you could install one or two windows at a time and cover the rest of the spots with a plastic insulator kit.

Gutter Cleaning

A final task for your fall days before winter sets in is cleaning your gutter. It is a bit more time-consuming and tedious, but very worthwhile. This is one you’ll definitely want to plan out in advance, since it’s better to wait for most if not all of the leaves to fall so that you don’t have to perform this chore twice. Learn your region’s fall foliage projections in order to develop a good plan.

Clogged gutters are a huge problem in the winter because water can get backed up and freeze on your roof. The ice will create dams that prevent other water and snow from making it down the spout. This causes water damage as it starts seeping through the roof into your home. Avoid this by cleaning out the leaves and junk that sit in your gutters before freezing temperatures hit.

An even better way to avoid this problem is eliminating the need to clean gutters once and for all with a gutter system that won’t clog. In this system, you’ll never have to worry about that leaf buildup or water seepage. LeafGuard provides such a system and aims to help homeowners everywhere fortify their homes. Find the closest dealer to you today!

The Unusual Dangers of Not Having Gutters

admin — Mon, 09 Jun 2014 13:44:36 +0000

The Unusual Dangers of Not Having Gutters

Are you aware of the animals that could be getting inside your house? And how they could get there? Gutters play a surprisingly important role in keeping away a variety of pests and critters from penetrating into your house. The absence of gutters sets any house up for a potential invasion.

The problem starts with too much water. Without gutters, too much water runs off the roof and splashes down the house onto the ground. Over time, too much water leads to issues like rotting fascia, rotting trim, erosion of soil or damaged foundation. When the materials comprising your home are rotted or worn down from water, they become an easier target for eager animals to break through and take up residence inside.

Ultimately, it’s about fortifying all the elements of your home against water and debris. 53% of homeowners are concerned about pests. Based on how quickly they can get into a house, the other 47% should be concerned as well. Each year in the winter, rodents invade an estimated 21 million homes in the U.S. Mother Nature will always be there as a threat – it’s important that you don’t give it an added opportunity.

Here are 3 intruders that are more likely to show up if gutters are not present:

1. Attic Dwellers

Squirrels can chew through fascia. What does that have to do with gutters? Plenty, in fact.

Gutters tend to hang from the fascia board, so their very presence creates a physical barrier between the squirrel and the point of entry. But without gutters, water and the elements can rot your fascia, soffit, and trim gradually over time. That will make those surfaces more vulnerable to squirrels chewing through in order to gain an access point. On average, they need only 2.5 inches of space in order to penetrate. Without that defense, you may find rodents taking up residence in your attic.

Not all critters are as persistent as squirrels, but if there is weakness in your fascia board or other areas near your roof, then expect birds and bats to also take interest in what your attic has to offer.

2. Basement Dwellers

Much like the attic, the basement is vulnerable to animal intrusion. Without gutters, water never makes it very far from your home. Often it will land directly below where your roof ends and stand in pools unless there is a natural slope present. That high volume of water can create problems. The first main issue around your foundation is erosion; water disrupts the soil and washes material away that would otherwise be solidly in place. The second issue is ice. If water remains stagnant around your house, it can freeze and put pressure on your foundation. In both cases, the structural integrity of your house is less than 100 percent and becomes more vulnerable to external intrusion. Raccoons, mice and rats are all likely candidates for weaseling their way into a vulnerable basement.

3. Water Pool Dwellers

Forgetting the attic or basement, homeowners without gutters could still have their hands full with standing pools of water around the home. Aside from the general eyesore, standing pools of water are a breeding ground for insects and bacteria. The most common inhabitants of stagnant water in a backyard are mosquitoes, and with mosquitoes comes the threat of diseases.

No one is saying that squirrels or raccoons will show up tomorrow if you don’t install gutters today. But if the installation of gutters is ignored for long enough, the effects can be widespread and devastating. One of those effects is that your house becomes vulnerable to animal intrusion. Your house might feel like a zoo from time to time, but let’s make sure that you’re not adding any species anytime soon.

The New Homeowner’s Guide to Gutters

admin — Mon, 16 Dec 2013 14:49:54 +0000

The New Homeowner’s Guide to Gutters

If you’ve recently purchased a home that doesn’t have gutters, you may be thinking that you can get by without investing in a drainage system. After all, rainwater and melted snow runs off your sloped roof and finds the ground eventually. However, doing without gutters and downspouts can be rather short-sighted. Allowing water to accumulate and pool at your home’s foundation can lead to a myriad of problems. Below are just a few things to consider when deciding whether you need gutters:

1. Gutters keep moisture away from your foundation

Without gutters, water that runs off your roof lands at the base of your eaves, usually near your foundation. This can cause a few problems. It can form unattractive trenches and ruts in your landscaping; it can cause water to seep behind your siding, causing the wood behind the siding to rot; and it can cause water to enter your basement, causing mold and mildew to be circulated throughout your living spaces.

2. Gutters keep water away from your attic

Gutters don’t just keep water out of your basement. They also help at the top of your house. Without gutters, some of the water that travels over your eaves is likely to seep behind the boards that protect your attic, allowing moisture to accumulate at the top of your house.

3. Gutters help to prevent insect infestations

Moisture around a home’s foundation creates an ideal breeding place for insects, such as termites and ants. Gutters and downspouts channel that water away from the foundation, making your home less attractive to bugs.

4. Gutters keep water from pouring down on you and your guests

Lastly, without gutters, rainwater and melting snow comes down from the roof right where it falls. That can mean rivers of water cascading down on your head as you’re entering or exiting your home. Gutters divert this water to downspouts at the corners of your house, so you’ll stay dry when you’re opening your front door.

Whether to invest in gutters is a decision that needs to be carefully considered. You don’t want to save a few hundred dollars today, only to spend thousands to repair water damage later.

Limiting Mosquito Problems with the Help of Gutters

admin — Wed, 26 Jun 2013 13:55:58 +0000

Limiting Mosquito Problems with the Help of Gutters

Mosquitoes and summer seem to go hand in hand, but it doesn’t always have to be that way. You might not eliminate them completely, but there are steps you can take to prevent them from getting comfortable around your home. There are also steps to take in order to eliminate them once they are around your home.

First Step: Prevention

Mosquitoes love to make their homes in stagnant water. In order to make your yard less attractive to them, eliminate its susceptibility to standing water. That means having gutters that sufficiently guide water far enough away from your house so that it doesn’t gather and saturate your lawn. And simply having gutters does not suffice – the gutters must not clog, or else stagnant water could develop and mosquitoes can flourish there and fly down to your yard. If water from summer storms is cascading down the side of your house or staying still in your clogged gutters, standing water and mosquitoes will be an issue in no time.

Mosquitoes and standing water are the main summer issues of The LeafGuard Gutter Cycle.

It is also important to survey your yard, identify any areas that will quickly develop standing water, and cover them up if possible. These areas include canoes, kayaks, lawnmowers, or other vehicles that could collect water when left alone. Also be aware of outdoor trash cans that might not get daily or weekly use. These should remain covered in order to avoid water build-up.

Sometimes despite your best efforts, some mosquitoes still lurk outside. It’s important to eliminate them to avoid mosquito bites, which are normally painful and can sometimes carry life-threatening diseases.

Second Step: Elimination. Solutions Include:

Bug Spray/Repellent will keep mosquitoes away from you, to a certain degree.
A Bug Zapper will keep mosquitoes away from you by drawing them towards the zapper and killing them.
The Huffington Post has some creative solutions if you don’t have either of those on hand.

These are the only solutions for the presence of mosquitoes. It’s always better to limit their presence altogether by preventing the emergence of stagnant water around your home. LeafGuard gutters protect your home from stagnant water by collecting water and driving it away from the house.

The Impact That Gutters Have on Your Yard and Beyond

admin — Mon, 10 Jun 2013 14:02:22 +0000

The Impact That Gutters Have on Your Yard and Beyond

Of all the tools that you use to protect your beloved yard, gutters might never have made the list. But gutters have more of an impact on the backyard than most homeowners ever realize. Water is a problem when it comes in high amounts. Your lawn needs direct rainfall, not all the rainfall of a house collecting into a focused area.

Three issues to consider:

1. Standing Water Pools

If water is not properly corralled, it can accumulate very quickly in the areas surrounding your home. Stagnant water pools become mosquito havens, so it is important to keep water moving away from your home.

2. Erosion

As detailed in This Old House, erosion is a far bigger threat than homeowners would like to admit. Too much water can gradually wear away soil, making a mess and leaving a dirty appearance. Erosion of soil can leave other elements exposed like pipes or even the foundation of your house.

3. Leaking

If that water is stagnating in pools or eroding soil around your home, there’s a good chance it also is trickling into your home through the foundation and into the basement. The same principle of liquid adhesion that makes LeafGuard gutters effective is what can cause leaking.

As liquids flow, they adhere to the surface on which they are moving. With gutters in place, water adheres to the surfaces and is properly corralled, but if there are no gutters in place, the water will move right down your roof and cling to your house. That can lead to water trickling into your basement and the foundation of your home.

All 3 of these issues are caused by improper water flow away from the house, and all 3 can be avoided using a seamless gutter system like LeafGuard.

Also consider: Using a Rain Barrel

If your gutters and downspouts don’t direct water far enough away from your home, another solution to consider is a rain barrel. By inserting a rain barrel at the bottom of your downspout, you can corral rainwater, protect your yard and outdoor areas, and re-purpose that water later for plants and your lawn.

The issues surrounding your yard, house and gutters are more numerous than you might think. It’s important to have a system in place to avoid stagnant water, soil erosion, and leaking.

Taking Precautions Before Cleaning Your Gutters

admin — Wed, 05 Jun 2013 14:04:50 +0000

Taking Precautions Before Cleaning Your Gutters

We believe in gutter systems that require no cleaning or un-clogging but realize that some people still have gutters that require such maintenance. Here are some safety tips for those of you that get up on the ladder to unclog gutters. It is essential to be aware of the dangers of unclogging gutters so take precautions before starting this task.

Things to Prepare For

Weather

Always consider the weather forecast. Rain will cause the ladder and roof to be slippery and hazardous. You never want to climb a ladder if there is thunder and lightning. Heat will make surfaces hot, so you should wear gloves to protect your hands from metal ladder rungs. And the hot sun might warrant some sunscreen. These are simple considerations but necessary ones.

Dress Appropriately

It's important to dress for the task. Even if it's hot, long sleeves and pants are still a good idea to avoid contact and cuts. If it's cold, a warm coat is needed. Wear rubber-soled shoes so you don't slip on the ladder's rungs. Gloves are a necessity in any weather – and not just any gloves. Use thick leather or suede gloves to keep hands from getting cut and protect them from dirty water that may contain bacteria. And eye protection is crucial, as gutter contents tend to splash. Protect yourself from any debris that may be in your gutter. Remember that birds, small rodents, snakes, and insects could reside in the gutter, so having the proper protective clothing will keep you safer.

Ladder Safety

Things to check off before you begin climbing:

Make sure the ladder is on solid ground
Don't go about this by yourself. Make sure to have a spotter to hold the ladder in place for you.
Use the right ladder for the roof height. Do not try to make a step ladder work if you are reaching very high. At that point, an extension ladder is needed.
Maintain a 3 point contact (two hands and a foot or two feet and a hand) when climbing or descending a ladder
Carry tools in a tool belt or raise your tools using a hand line. Never carry tools in your hands while climbing up/down a ladder.

Power Line Awareness

When cleaning gutters around a power line cable that drops from the power pole to the roof of a building, visually inspect the electrical cable where it connects to the roof. This ensures that the protective wire insulation hasn't rubbed off through years of wear-and-tear by weather and nearby trees.

If the cable appears to have damage, do not attempt to repair it; instead, call a licensed professional electrical contractor to fix it. If it's raining and there is an electrical wire problem, do not attempt to clean out the gutters until the wires are fixed; water is a dangerous conductor of electricity. Whether it's raining or not, it would be a good idea to have the electrical wiring repaired before cleaning your gutters.

Prevent Gutter Cleaning with Leaf Guard

One way you can make sure you don't have to clean your gutters is by getting LeafGuard^®. LeafGuard's design keeps leaves, pine needles, fir needles, and other debris out of your gutters. This is covered under our lifetime clog-free guarantee* so you never have to worry about the hassle of clogged gutters again.

With all the ladder-related injuries happening each year, LeafGuard simplifies your life by eliminating the need to clean your gutters and never worrying about having to climb a ladder for that task again. LeafGuard is the gutter system with which you'd wish your house was built.

*Guaranteed not to clog for as long as you own your home, or we will clean your gutters for free.

Gutter Damage You Can Repair

admin — Tue, 21 May 2013 14:07:17 +0000

Gutter Damage You Can Repair

Do you have sizeable repairs to make to your gutters this spring? Sometimes the problems catch you off-guard, or sometimes you’re not surprised because you’ve been putting off an issue you’ve known about for months. There are a few different things that could be wrong with your gutters.

Depending on how long you’ve owned your home or had gutters, you may never have experienced a season where gutter trouble was a real issue. Over time, these issues can rear their ugly head, and you will need to fix your gutters. Here are four gutter issues that will require repair:

They could be:

1. Leaky

Leaky gutters could result from gutters that have become disconnected from each other or the downspouts. If this is the case, the fix is to re-connect wherever the leak exists. The other leading cause of leaks is a crack, and this is more serious. Fixing a cracked gutter requires a sealing agent or purchasing new gutters entirely.

2. Clogged

There are two leading causes of clogged gutters. First, too much debris has built up in the gutters because they are unprotected. The second reason is if they are sagging and are clogged with water. Water flow ceases when gutters lose their slight pitch from too much weight or loose nails. Water will always be coming in, but it will not be moving out. This is a significant cause of gutter damage.

3. Disconnected

Gutters that are detaching from the roof become an issue if ignored. If that continues, it’s only a matter of time before they are completely detached and your gutters lie on the ground.

This problem usually results from too much pressure from snow and ice during the winter or too much debris during the fall or spring. To repair the gutters, the nails holding them in place will have to be nailed back in, potentially into new holes if the old holes are worn out.

4. Fallen

This is what happens when you ignore disconnected gutters. There is the case where a heavy storm or fallen branch knocks a gutter clean off the house. Regardless of how it happens, you know you need major repair because until gutters are back in place, water will cease to flow away from the house. Anything in that area – deck, patio furniture, plants, etc. – will be subject to damage from the water the gutters are not moving away from the house.

These problems vary in severity, and each requires a different solution. All 4 of these issues require attention and repair. If left ignored, each of these issues could damage your home.

The Causes & Solutions of Fallen Gutters

admin — Mon, 21 Jan 2013 15:09:46 +0000

The Causes & Solutions of Fallen Gutters

It’s a sight that no homeowner wants to see: you go out in the morning to start your car, look back at your house, and a portion of your gutters has fallen from your home. Aside from being an eyesore, this fallen gutter can cause serious issues with water and ice collecting around your house. To make sure that you never find yourself in this situation, we’ve pointed out a few causes of dangling gutters so you know what to avoid. And if it’s too late, you also have a starting point for fixing the issue.

CAUSES

Missing screws, loosened screws

Even if your gutters are perfect when installed, the wear and tear of the seasons can cause them to gradually loosen. With enough neglect, the screws will come out completely and the gutter will sag as a result.

Clog

When your gutters are clogged from too many leaves or other debris, they become weighed down from those materials along with the water that is blocked from flowing through the downspouts. That puts a lot of stress on the gutters, which can drag them down and pull screws and nails out. Too much stress will send your gutters flying downward and hanging sideways.

Leveled out

This is likely the problem that you think about the least, but if your gutters are completely level, then their flow will be halted. This presents a risk of water growing stagnant and weighing down the gutters. In this case, you will run into the same stress issues that are mentioned above.

Each of these issues can be prevented by regularly monitoring your gutters’ tightness and water flow. It is always better to address a small problem immediately, before it becomes a big problem over time.

HOW TO FIX A HANGING GUTTER

If anything has left a piece of your gutter pointing towards the ground, then you must clean it off and re-attach it. It should be done sooner rather than later, so that water and ice don’t become a major issue around your house. It’s important to drill a new hole for the gutter screws rather than use the previous hole which has widened over time.

WHEN TO FIX

We’re not going to tell you that you can’t repair gutters in the middle of winter. Only you can make that call. But consider that not only will you personally experience the cold but your gutters and house have experienced it all winter, and as a result will be hard to work on with a drill or hammer. We hope that you never find yourself in a fallen-gutter situation, but if you do, you should be well equipped with tips and information to get through the re-installation. Whatever you do, please be careful when climbing ladders and remember that it’s always best to bring in a professional gutter contractor to do any adjustments or repairs to your gutters. Check back with our articles periodically for more home improvement resources & information!

Winter gutter maintenance

admin — Wed, 02 Jan 2013 15:12:25 +0000

Winter gutter maintenance

Having to clean gutters in winter isn't at the top of anyone's list when it comes to fun things to do. However, if you've been putting it off or haven't prepared sufficiently beforehand, you might be in for a nasty surprise when the colder months arrive.

Winter's freezing temperatures can lead to ice dams forming in your gutters. These ice dams, created by melting and refreezing cycles, pose a significant risk to your gutters, roof, and overall foundation.

Nevertheless, such problems can be effectively mitigated with regular gutter maintenance. Keeping your gutters free of debris throughout the year simplifies winter maintenance and safeguards your home against potential cold-weather damage.

What are gutter seams and anchors?

Gutter seams and anchors are vital components of your home's gutter system. The seams are junction points where different sections of your gutter connect, while anchors secure the gutter system to your house.

As winter approaches, it's advisable to thoroughly inspect these components to check for any leaks or cracks. This is because water that freezes inside these faults can worsen the damage, potentially causing severe issues. You may also find frozen leaves in this section of your gutter that you'll wish to remove.

Begin your inspection by examining each gutter seam for potential leaks. Follow this by checking every anchor that affixes the gutter to your house's fascia. If you encounter any issues, such as holes or leaks, it's crucial to address them promptly. You can undertake the repair work yourself if you're comfortable doing so or engage the services of a professional to ensure the longevity and efficiency of your gutter system.

How do I fix gutter seams and anchors safely?

If you're inspecting your gutter seams and anchors and will make any repairs yourself, keeping safety in mind at all times is essential.

Ensure your ladder is on solid ground.
Have someone hold the ladder in place for you.
Use the right ladder for the right height. You'll need an extension ladder if a step ladder isn't high enough.
Maintain a 3-point contact when climbing or descending. This means two hands and a foot, or two feet and a hand.
Don't carry tools in your hands as you climb up or down a ladder. Use a tool belt or raise your tools with a hand line.

You'll need waterproof patches or sealant if you make the fixes yourself. Then:

Clean the gutter – remove any debris. You can use a putty knife to scoop out buildup. Use a wire brush to scrub away rust. Flush out gutters and allow them to air dry first.
Apply a waterproof patch – cut the tape to the desired size, ensuring it's more significant than the area you need to cover. Then, place the tape over the area and rub the entire surface aggressively by hand (especially the edges).
Apply sealant – use steady pressure to force sealant into the area. If you can, clamp the parts together firmly. Leave the seal for 24 hours to cure fully.

In addition to preventing clogging, Leafguard seamless gutter systems ensure you don't need to worry about this issue.

What are downspouts?

Downspouts are an essential component in gutter systems. Gutter spouts are the pipes connected to the house and run vertically. Water flows from gutters into downspouts to move it away from the foundations of your house and avoid it gathering in puddles near the walls. If your downspouts aren't placed correctly, you could damage your house from moisture and mold.

During the colder months, this function is essential. The correct placement and upkeep of downspouts can prevent ice buildup near your home's foundation, which could lead to significant moisture and mold issues. Therefore, as part of your winter maintenance routine, inspect and maintain your downspouts to protect your home from potential winter-related water damage.

How do I check my gutter downspouts?

You should regularly check your gutter downspouts, mainly when the weather turns colder. This is because they can fill with ice, back up into your gutter and downspouts, and tear them loose. If they tear off, it can mean severe damage to your roof.

If your gutter is bent or leaning in the wrong direction, you can force it back into position. Check the brackets before and after the problem area to ensure they're not loose or broken.
You should clean your gutters every fall to prevent your downspouts from freezing and forming ice blockages. Also, make sure you clear piled snow away from downspout exits. If they become blocked with ice, you can pour boiling water on the downspout exterior where the blockage is. Alternatively, consider wrapping the downspouts with heat tape. This will melt any existing ice and help prevent future freezing.

If you don't feel confident handling downspouts, consider hiring a professional.

Protect your home this Winter with Leafguard

Don't let winter weather wreak havoc on your home. With Leafguard, you can ensure your gutters can withstand even the harshest elements. Our seamless gutter systems eliminate the risks associated with clogged and damaged gutters and reduce the need for regular maintenance, saving you time and effort. Make the smart choice this winter.

Contact Leafguard today to give your home the protection it deserves.