Freezing one day, short-sleeve weather the next, Fall in the South can seem utterly manic at times. One constant throughout the season regardless of temperature is fallen leaves. Especially in areas like Metro Atlanta surrounded by trees, fallen leaves present more than just a mess, they can cause problems with your roof as well.
As they are mostly hidden from view, leaves and other rotting debris can get stuck in gutters, leading to build-up that can cause major problems. Gutters are there to help with drainage, once they get clogged with debris, they are no longer able to function properly, resulting in damage from water pools and improper drainage, not to mention damage to the gutters themselves. Damage caused from water include damage to your foundation, driveway, even the house itself and can cause thousands to repair.
What can you do to avoid this other than constantly cleaning them out and staying on top of the problem? Here are a couple of suggestions.
Leaf Guards
Atlanta Roofing Specialists offers lifetime gutter covers that attach directly to the gutter system. They can be placed on almost any size and type of gutter system and can barely be seen from the ground. Water is able to pass through the guard while leaves and debris are kept out.
Lose The Trees & Overhanging Limbs
Trees are beautiful in every yard. They can really tie the landscaping together, however, when these beautiful specimens of nature hang over your home, they can cause much more harm than good. Trees that are situated close to a home can be dangerous, especially in high winds where the tree can fall into the home to even lower wind storms that blow damaging leaves and debris onto the house and clog up gutters.
To alleviate these dangers, trees should be removed or trimmed back to a point where they no longer pose a danger. Unless you understand what you are doing, removing trees and branches could pose a greater risk than leaving them, if you need to remove trees or large limbs, contact a professional to be sure it is done properly.
Hire A Professional
Perhaps you can’t afford to have a new leaf guard system installed to prevent potential problems and you don’t have any trees nearby to pose any dangers. Cleaning your roof and gutters can be time-consuming and remembering to stay on top of it can be a hassle. Another option is to hire someone that can come out when needed and put you on a regular maintenance schedule, taking it out of your hands completely. The best solution for those not predisposed to getting up on a roof, hiring someone will get the job done without putting yourself at risk.
A cause of preventable damage that can be kept in check with minimal effort, keeping your roof and gutters clear of debris can help extend your roofs expected lifespan and save you thousands in unnecessary costs.