Getting Gutters Ready for Fall
The joys of fall. For those who follow our blogs, you know I love the fall. And since it only lasts a week some years, you have to make the most of it. Whether it’s raking a big pile of leaves for our son to destroy in minutes, or talking Jeff into buying even more Halloween decorations, fall brings lots of fun for our family. And those precious fall days with their brisk mornings and warm afternoons provide the ideal time to give your gutters a little TLC.
Time for your fall gutter cleaning
I’m sure we have a few customers who find it enjoyable and relaxing to clean their gutters…but they haven’t told us. It’s a chore. But a necessary one. Granted leaf guards help control the inevitable build-up, but if you have seeds, twigs, and leaves near your home, they will likely gang up on you at some point and create a clog. I hate to be the bearer of bad news but if you don’t have leaf guards you may even need to clean them multiple times during the fall. This is especially true in older neighborhoods with a lot of mature trees like Highland Park and University Park.
A love-hate relationship with trees
I love trees but they are no friend to your gutters. In late summer or early fall, you need to trim back those beautiful branches. Summer tree growth happens fast and branches that seemed far away in spring can easily encroach on your roof and gutters, dumping their leaves and twigs directly into your gutter to create a dam that grows over time. Our gutter crews report even seeing little trees growing out of poorly maintained gutters.
Time for a gutter check-up
Whether you drag out the ladder and do it yourself or have a professional do it as part of regular cleaning, you need to make sure your gutters are functioning correctly. For example, if the Peak Roofing & Construction team is doing your cleaning, they will do a thorough inspection. This includes looking for sagging gutters or places where gutters or downspouts are pulling away from the home. If the home experienced a severe hailstorm, they also look for holes and cracks. If damage is severe enough, a full gutter replacement may be your safest option.
Don’t ignore your downspouts
After cleaning over a hundred linear feet of gutters, you may want to call it quits but don’t stop there, your downspouts need love too. Take the time to run a hose at the top of each downspout. If water starts to pool at the top, or the running water doesn’t flow easily out the bottom, you may have a blockage that needs to be addressed. A blocked downspout can cause unwanted back-up during a heavy storm.
About Peak Roofing & Construction
Peak Roofing & Construction is family-owned, with 30-years of experience. Bonded, insured, and accredited, we provide roofing, gutter, fence, window, and exterior facelift services. Guaranteed. Call (972) 335-7325 in Dallas-Fort Worth (residential & commercial) including Plano, Melissa, and Lantana.