Unfortunately, as soon as the leaves start falling here in Memphis, it gets downright COLD!

(Hey, we’re from the south and we’re already missing the hot & humid summer sun.)

This sometimes leads to thinking how much easier and warmer it would be to just stay inside and…”let the wind clean them out.”

Let me assure you, the leaves in your gutters are trapped pretty well and aren’t going anywhere! And the best thing you can do is get them cleaned out, especially during the Fall season. Make sure your gutters aren’t already damaging your home first – check for signs of sagging, improper drainage, or broken/ineffective downspouts. Taking an inventory of these items can help you to be prepared to fix them all at once, and then to create a schedule to maintain them more regularly. (We realize that might not even be the case, your gutters could just be old and need updating!)

Installing “gutter guards” could be an option for you if you’re in a heavy “leaf-fall” area, that way you’re automatically screening the leaves & debris from the gutters and you won’t have to put in the extra work of digging it all out. However, you should still routinely check on them and make sure nothing has been stuck in the way of draining. You should also check on your gutters often to inspect for sagging – this can disrupt the flow of the roof runoff and point to signs of weak areas that need replaced. Debris that’s clogging the flow should be removed as to prevent water damage to the actual structure of your home, as well.

Downspouts help keep the water away from the foundation of your home, making sure the heavy runoff isn’t penetrating the ground directly next to your home or structure.