YPSILANTI, Mich. (WXYZ) — Fall is officially here, and experts say homeowners who put off routine maintenance now could be facing costly repairs once snow and ice move in.
Dan Provenzola, owner of The Leaf Pros, says the clock is ticking.
"You're coming up on the last 60 days of it, couple months left to really tighten up on everything," Provenzola said. "Anything to make sure the water stays away from your home properly."
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Sean Hagen, general manager of Leaf Pros and a homeowner himself, says once temperatures drop, the opportunity to get work done disappears.
"There's a period of time where it's almost impossible to get work done because it's so cold outside, so frozen and so much snow," Hagen said.
Hagen says he's been focused on other people's homes and hasn't gotten around to winterizing his own but plans to get it done ahead of time for peace of mind.
"I don't have to think in the middle of the night is my roof going to leak, are my gutters going to drain water, am I going to have ice pooling up here?" Hagen said.
The Leaf Pros roofer Rob Blach says making sure gutters and roofs are ready for water flow before the freezing season is critical — because once temperatures drop, there are only select windows of time to address problems, and those depend entirely on whether a warm enough winter day comes along.
"It can become a big, big issue," Blach said.
Provenzola says emergency services are available in warmer months, but winter work comes with limitations.
"If you have emergency services needed in the winter months, we can take care of it, but you'll have to wait until we have a decent day," Provenzola said.
Blach says a typical job involves installing new gutters and downspouts to give water and ice a clear route away from the home. When gutters are clogged, water pools — and if temperatures drop low enough to freeze that pooled water, it creates a heavy problem known as ice damming.
"The gutters can't handle it, so they'll rip out of the wall," Blach said.
Cleaning gutters, making sure they're pitched properly and getting a roof inspection are all steps that protect a home from larger problems. Left unaddressed, issues can lead to damage to a home's foundation, leaks in insulation that cause mold or let in cold air or in more rare cases, collapses — repairs that could cost tens of thousands of dollars.
"The damage will be significantly worse if you wait," Hagen said.
Provenzola says the cost of inaction can be severe.
"Could be taking a look at pulling out a second mortgage on this stuff, when you could be proactive and nip it in the bud," Provenzola said.
Blach's advice is straightforward.
"Always good to just take a look and see what you need to do," Blach said.
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