When Budd Lake gutters fill up
In this part of New Jersey, common regional trees include red maple, white oak, hickory, tulip poplar, sweetgum, and eastern white pine. Oak catkins fill gutters during spring, while broadleaf foliage, acorns, and spiky sweetgum balls dropped by local trees clog downspouts during fall, when leaf drop usually peaks in mid October. Cold winter temperatures bring freezing nights, snow, and ice dams that weigh down blocked gutters. Trapped water expands when freezing, pulling brackets away from the fascia board. We recommend cleaning residential systems at least twice a year, during spring and fall, to keep water moving freely before winter freezes arrive and summer rain storms strike.