Fall Foliage Is Pretty, Except When It's In Your Gutters!

The leaves are bright and colorful aren't they? Until they fall and clog the gutters.
This redux winter tip is a little trickier, depending on how high your house is. If you live in a 2 story house you will need to be very careful using a tall extension ladder. What am I talking about? Why, your gutters of course. You know, those half tubes that are usually full of leaves and pine needles. I hate pine needles! Probably THE most dangerous thing hanging around your house in the dead of winter is the icicle. No, not a 3 incher, I'm talking about the 1-4+ foot ones that hang from your gutters. It only takes one to hit your head to end your life or at the least cripple you. These can be very heavy with, of course, very pointy tips that descend like an arrow to the ground, smashing anything under them! Keep your gutter clean so the heat of the house that is present can allow any liquid to drain down the spout before it freezes. Leaf clutter in the gutter (that rhymes) holds back water and creates a weak hold for ice which will allow it to break away more easily than if the ice were attached directly to the gutter. I don't like the ice but I rather have it holding till I can break it away than have it fall off on it's own! During the spring thaw the water still frozen in the gutters will drain smoothly without jamming up the downspouts with leaves and dirt.