As summer turns to fall in New Jersey, leaves can begin piling up in your gutters — becoming a problem for our customers that escalates quickly during the hurricane season and harsh winter.

At Powell’s, we believe that seasonal managing of leaves in your gutters is necessary, especially considering that nearly 600 gallons of water can travel through the gutter system of a 1,000 sq. ft. roof after an inch of rainfall.

If a bad storm hits, it can significantly damage your home and property, which is both an eyesore and incredibly costly.

I believe every homeowner should know why it is important to prevent leaves from blocking their gutter system and proper maintenance to avoid the damages that can come from neglecting your home’s gutter system.

What Problems Do Leaves in Gutters Lead To?

Pest Infestation

By stopping leaves from getting into your home’s gutters, you are also helping stop the infestation.

Critters such as mice, birds, molds and insects are just some things that can inhabit your home when gutters are not routinely cleaned. Water overflow that results from clogged gutters can create rot in different areas of your home’s exterior, which invites such unwanted residents.

Foundation Damage,  Basement Flooding

The foundation is critical to the structural integrity of any home. Unfortunately, when water overflows from your gutter system, one of the places where flood water accumulates is in the basement — spelling trouble for the home foundation. Basement flooding is incredibly expensive and can lead to other issues such as black mold and damage to the surrounding landscape.

Damaged Exterior

Overflowing gutters often lead to damage along the side of your home. This is common when gutters are clogged with leaves during hurricane season. Of course, in the winter, water can build up and freeze and crack your gutters, leading to major issues.

Compounding the problem, water overflow can eventually cause the wood in and around your home to rot. Rotted wood is an easy entry point for critters like insects and rodents.

How to prevent leaves in gutters

Homeowners may wonder what to put in gutters to keep leaves out. Fortunately, there are several ways to prevent clogged gutters this way.

One of the most popular solutions is gutter guards — also called gutter covers — which block larger debris from entering the gutter downspout. Rain gutter heat tapes are another option that may work well in winter, as they prevent ice damming by employing heated cables wired to gutters.

How to remove leaves from gutters

Of course, a professional gutter cleaning service — such as those we offer at Powell’s — will know when to clean gutters and be able to prevent your gutters from clogging in the first place.

Typically, gutter cleaning is seasonal or at least twice a year – once a fall and again after winter. However, if you live in a heavily wooded area, you may need a more frequent routine.

To learn more about our gutter cleaning services, contact us today.