Prepping Your Home for Fall & Winter (Tip 1 of 5)
It’s hard to imagine in the middle of August, but cooler temperatures are coming. This is the best time to prepare your home’s transition from hot Summer days to crisp Autumn evenings to freezing weather in Winter. Each day this week, we will highlight an area of home maintenance homeowners should tackle now so they can focus on seasonal events and family holidays later this year.
#1: Unclog, Repair, or Replace the Gutters: Each year, thousands of gallons of water are drained from the roof, and a clump of leaves and debris can redirect rain, damaging the interior and exterior of a home. Wet leaves, broken branches, decaying shingles, animal nests, small toys, and plant material (blossoms, pine cones, pine needles, etc) can easily obstruct the flow of water.
Standing water in gutters is also a breeding ground for mosquitoes and other insects like termites, roaches, gnats, flies, and ants. The water also rests against the eaves and fascia boards, causing the wood to rot. Left unchecked, the standing water freezes in place, and the heavy weight of ice and debris can cause gutters and downspouts to leak, break, and/or collapse, damaging a home’s roof, walls, and foundation.
