Gutters

As the leaves turn brown and the weather turns colder, you may prepare the home for the winter months. You’ll purchase salt for the driveways and place a cover on the outdoor pool. Another chore to perform is gutter repair. Fall is the perfect time to do this chore for a variety of reasons.

Prepare for the Winter Weather

Winters typically bring a lot of rain, sleet, ice, and snow down onto the house. You want to ensure that the gutters can handle this winterly mix and divert it away from your foundation. Repairing the gutters allows you to direct the water to where you want it to go. You can tighten gutter fasteners that may have loosened or are missing, and ensure there are no holes that will allow water to leak. Performing these necessary repairs now will lessen the chances that you will have to go out into the snow and ice to fix a leaky or shaky gutter system.

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You want to ensure your house remains safe and comfortable all year round. Keeping it dry and waterproof ensures that dangerous mold and mildew do not grow inside the walls or roof. You also want to prevent water from getting along the foundation of the home, so it doesn’t enter and cause water leakage or instability problems. Gutters are your best defense against water intrusion by redirecting rainwater from the roof away from the exterior walls and foundation.

However, gutters do not last forever. They experience heavy rain, winds, and ice throughout the year. Just like a roofing system experiencing the end of its lifecycle needs repairs and replacement, your gutters also need occasional repairs to keep them in good condition. Here are some warning signs to look for that will tell you to get your gutter repaired:

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We often forget about the gutters when they are in working order during the spring, summer, and fall months. However, winter weather poses a lot of risks to a homeowner’s gutter system.

Skipping out on winter gutter cleaning before the harsh weather hits your home could cause significant damage to the gutter system, roof, foundation, and exterior walls of your home. Learn more about how winter can damage the roof gutters, and why it is important to get them inspected and cleaned in the fall and early winter.

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Gutters and downspouts are essential systems in your home. They redirect water from the roof so the water does not run down the siding and along the foundation. However, gutters and downspouts can become clogged with leaves, debris, animal nests, small branches, and even windblown bags or plastic trash.

With these things clogging the gutter system, it leads to water overflowing the sides of the gutter or up from the downspout which increases the risk of flooding your foundation or basement. It also causes ice dams that could weigh down and dislodge the gutters in the winter.

Cleaning Your Gutter and Downspouts

It is a simple job to clean out the gutters. With proper preparation and safety measures, you can get them cleaned quickly over the weekend. Here are several steps to take for the task:

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A maintenance item for your home that is often forgotten about is the gutter system. Due to its location, many people don’t consider that any problems could arise from the system. However, faulty gutters can cause a whole host of problems that could compromise the integrity of your home and serious damage.

Faulty Gutter Problems

A big problem that happens in the fall season is that dead leaves begin to clog the gutter. As the leaves, dirt, branches, and grime get mixed together, this debris can clog up the gutter.

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You may have heard that your gutters should be cleaned twice a year, but do you know why? Cleaning your gutters regularly removes leaves and debris to deliver these three benefits.

1. Protect Your Roof

Servicing the gutters may extend the life of your roof. While gutters aren’t the only factor in determining how long a roof lasts, neglecting the gutters will shorten the lifespan of your roof. Since replacing a roof is a major cost, it makes sense to do what you can to save money.

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With summer upon us, it’s time to clean your home and catch up on seasonal maintenance tasks. Use this checklist to keep up with needed tasks that will prepare your home for summer and help you and your family enjoy the season.

1. Service your AC units

The air conditioner is going to run full steam during the summer, but is the air it’s circulating in your home clean? The best way to ensure that your AC is in good condition and to preserve indoor air quality to have your units serviced. This will remove dust from the unit to protect air quality, while also helping your AC operate efficiently, which saves money.

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Gutters direct water away from the home, preventing water damage to the roof and foundation. Learn how to tell if you need gutters, then review popular gutter styles.

When a House Needs Gutters

If you live near Cincinnati, your home probably needs gutters. Homes in temperate climates where the roof only has a short overhang tend to need gutters because water remains in proximity with the home for longer than in arid climates, where it evaporates quickly. If your house is surrounded by concrete, you can skip the gutter, as concrete protects the foundation, but if you have a lawn, we wouldn’t recommend it.

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