Summer is on its last legs, and fall is quickly approaching. Many homeowners want to know how they can prepare their home to transition from hot days, to cool weather. Well there are 5 crucial steps in the preparation process, and this blog will discuss Step One of these steps!

5-Step Series To Prepare Your Home For Fall Weather!

Each week remember to check each step off of your list of things to do to prepare for the fall season! Maintaining your roof is a must for fall prep!

Step One: Clear your gutters and downspouts of debris!

Your roof is often overlooked because it’s not eye level and most people don’t think of it as being a prevalent problem, but this area can be the cause of several disastrous scenarios, especially as fall weather approaches!

What to Watch Out For:

If your gutter is clogged with harmful debris like dirt, twigs, and leaves, you’ll notice some of these signs:

1. Sagging
2. Small plants taking root in the gutters
3. Water pouring over the gutter

Though some of these symptoms are simply unsightly, they can also be extremely dangerous and costly to your home. Sagging gutters as well as greenery sprouting from your roof is a sure sign that your gutters aren’t clear enough for water to flow through! When this is the case, the water will pour over the gutter trough and into the earth below, generally causing leaks in your basement or damage to the foundation of your home.

Likewise, downspouts feed water from the gutter to the lawn below, and are essential in draining the water into the proper avenues. If these are clogged with debris, a clean gutter will be useless, since the water will have no form of escape.

How To Avoid These Clogs:

It’s simple, as fall approaches, your gutters and drainpipe need to be cleared of all potential clogs. Take a couple of hours to dedicate to the task and begin with the gutters themselves.

1. Use a sturdy ladder and remove leaves, dirt and other debris from your gutters to clear and prevent clogs. Be sure to use some kind of gloves in case of dirt or sharp objects. Be sure that they are fully clear and there is nothing blocking the water flow.
2. Next, clear downspouts by using pressurized water from a hose. You can feed the hose into the system from the bottom, although care must be taken that the hose doesn’t go too far into the spout, since it can often get stuck and can be difficult to get out again.
3. To prevent clogging, you can install gutter barriers on your gutters to keep debris out for good

Due to the difficulty and risk of climbing a ladder and using simple DIY methods, a plumber is often recommended for these tasks. A professional plumber will use plumber’s snakes with auger tips to cut through blockage and debris. They’re tools, knowledge and expertise can save time and energy. No matter how you get it done, clearing out those gutters and downspouts of leaves and dirt is one of the most important steps for fall preparation!

Make sure to give F.H. Furr a call for all your plumbing needs, even the small ones! Don’t wait, get a plumber in your home for free*** today!