Ah, Fall. Crisp temperatures, college football—and gutter cleaning. I know you don’t want to hear it, but you need to think about your home’s gutters. Why? The two top reasons that come to my mind have to do with fire and ice. Let’s talk fire first. Did you know that having gutters full of dry leaves and debris can make your home more susceptible to catching fire? Burning embers, whether from a wildfire or someone’s burning leaf pile, can float long distances and land in your clogged gutters. Then there’s the darn ice dam issue for those of you living in colder areas. Ice dams are lumps of ice that form on the edges of roofs that prevent melting snow from draining off the roof. As the snow melts, the water backs up and seeps under shingles or tiles and eventually into your home. I know you don’t want a house fire or roof leaks, so, please do yourself, your family, and your home a favor. Get those gutters cleaned.

Federal Alliance for Safe Homes, Inc.