When Rockaway gutters fill up
Trees common to this region include red maple, white oak, hickory, tulip poplar, sweetgum, and eastern white pine. In spring, oak catkins drop directly onto roof slopes. During fall, broadleaf foliage, hard acorns, and prickly sweetgum balls accumulate rapidly in every gutter channel, with leaf drop usually peaking in mid October. Cold New Jersey winters bring snow, freezing nights, and ice dams that weigh down metal channels when trapped water cannot drain properly. We recommend cleaning at least twice a year, in spring and fall, to keep drainage paths wide open through freezing weather and heavy leaf falls. Regular maintenance stops ice buildup before it starts.