In autumn and beyond, colorful leaves offer a beautiful change of scenery, courtesy of Mother Nature. Unfortunately, those leaves eventually come down. It’s important that you clean them up using the best strategy possible. By making sure you take proper care of falling leaves, home damage might be avoided. Down the line, huge problems can result if leaves are not dealt with correctly. Flooding, mold growth, and water damage to your home’s foundation, walls, and roof may result when clogged gutters (as the temperature drops) cause ice dams. Free your house of falling leaves by making sure gutters are always clear and free-flowing.
But there are other ways your home can be affected by leaves that fall during autumn and beyond. Even if you have homeowners insurance, you want to try to protect your home against unnecessary damage.
Damage to Your Roof
Decaying shingles can be the result of leaves that fell and then sat on your roof for an extended period of time. Eventually, moisture will likely seep into your house. Over time, corrosion can occur on a metal roof courtesy of wet leaves, as well.
Walkways Become Slicker
You may not expect it, but a slick surface can be caused by wet leaves. If they freeze over, you’ve got even more trouble. To prevent accidents from slips and falls, make sure leaves are cleared from walkways.
Spread of Disease
Here’s one that might surprise a lot of people: Throughout your landscaping, diseases can spread if, for too long of a period, leaves are left lying around. Don’t add leaves to your compost if you think they’re showing signs of some kind of disease or fungus (i.e., mold). Put them in the garbage after bagging them separately.
Lawn Damage
Your lawn won’t get enough sunlight and, as a result, the grass underneath will die if, for a long period of time, leaves remain on the grass. To make sure enough sunlight gets to your lawn, use your lawnmower to chop up/mulch the leaves or rake them off completely.
Driveway Staining
In addition to your lawn being damaged by leaves that sat there too long, your driveway can also be damaged in the same manner. Stains can be left behind by leaves allowed to sit on a driveway for too long a period of time. To prevent this from happening, keep your driveway clear of leaves.
How to Get Rid of Leaves
If you have a municipal leaf drop, you may wish to participate after raking the leaves from your yard. For those not familiar, the leaves of neighborhood residents can be left at a specific location so they don’t become a problem at their homes. Some neighborhoods allow you to rake your leaves into the street and then a big street sweeper or a huge, industrial vacuum machine comes along to pick them up.
You may choose to mulch or compost your leaves instead. If removing leaves from your home and gutters presents a safety hazard, you may wish to have a friend, family member, or professional service take care of it instead. The same can be said for raking leaves or mulching them. If the physical exertion is too much, find someone who can do it safely.
Insure Your Home Against the Perils of Fall and Winter through K&N Insurance Brokerage
We, at K&N Insurance Brokerage, want you to be able to enjoy the beauty of autumn without worrying about damage to your home. Make sure you follow all suggested maintenance tips when it comes to falling leaves on/around your home. Additionally, however, we can be of assistance by helping you find the right homeowner’s insurance, condo insurance, automobile, renters, boat, motorcycle insurance, and more. One or more of these policies will help protect you, your belongings, and your family against the perils of autumn and other times of the year, as well.
Get an easy, quick, and free insurance quote online, or call us for an instant quote at 866-643-1567.
