The summer is long gone, and Autumn has arrived. For many people, this is actually the best season of the year. The weather can be phenomenal, and the cooler temperatures are more comfortable for some. It’s a great time to get outside and do projects around the house. Winter is coming, for one thing, and there may be things you need to do in order to get ready.
Checking on your gutters is one of those things – but isn’t it something most people do in the springtime instead?
Not necessarily. If you’re a new homeowner (or a new transplant to New Jersey), you might make the mistake of thinking that gutters don’t really matter during the winter. But there are some big reasons why gutter maintenance is very important through the winter. The first obvious reason is snowmelt. During the winter, temperatures can rise above and fall below freezing constantly. Sometimes, a cold and freezing snowstorm will give way to balmy stretches in the mid-40s. This means snow on your roof will be melting, trickling down toward the gutters. If this continues for several days, and water begins to pool around the home, some very tricky problems can arise – including basement flooding or problems with the home’s foundation. Mold can also be an issue during the winter months, if moisture in and around the house is not managed properly.
It’s also worth noting that eventually, all of that snow will become running water. When the spring thaw does arrive, it can mean torrents of water for days as all of that snow melts off your roof and looks for a way back into the ground. Faulty gutters can lead to huge problems when this happens, as the snowmelt cascades down the sides of the house, and pools around the home’s foundation. Strong gutters will work as they should in this situation and protect your home from running water.
Cleaning your gutters during the autumn months is also critical, since fallen leaves and debris tend to clog gutters while rain totals accumulate. For a number of reasons, Autumn is the ideal time to give your gutters a close inspection and cleaning – both of which can be done by qualified professionals.
Call the right specialists to assess your gutters
If you want to be on the safe side (particularly if it’s been awhile since your last gutter inspection), it’s surprisingly easy to get a gutter specialist out to your home for an assessment. This is a very affordable service in most cases, and will give you valuable information on the state of your gutter system. You might not need to do anything this year, or even the next – on the other hand, faults may currently exist that will get worse over time if not addressed properly.
One sign of a qualified gutter specialist is a contractor that does roofing work, masonry, siding, chimney work, and other related projects. That’s when you know you’ve got a specialist who can see the big picture as well as the minute details, and give you advice that takes both into account.