As we move into the colder months here in New Jersey we’re all aware of the possibility of snow and ice. One area where these can have a major impact is on your roof – especially around the edges of your roof where it meets your gutters. When gutters get blocked with leaves and other debris water may not drain and can back up and freeze. This mass of frozen water can damage both your roof and the gutters themselves and can contribute to the effect known as “ice damming”.

Blocked gutters can also becoming a breeding ground for critters and rodents which can lead to issues with nuisance damage and diseases.

The easiest way to avoid this is to have your gutters professionally cleaned after most of the leaves have fallen (typically in the weeks between Thanksgiving and Christmas). We’d strongly recommend that homeowners do NOT attempt this themselves as it typically requires getting onto the roof which is not something that an amateur should do – tragic accidents happen way too often!

(For other roof care tips please read this article)

Gutter cleaning from George J Keller & Sons is now available and will continue until the weather forces us to stop. For more information please call us 973-927-0963.