The nice thing about living here in Westchester County (and the northeast in general), particularly in the fall, is the change of season and the changing colors of the leaves. It's beautiful until that one weekend when the rain and strong winds come and the beautiful leaves on the trees become piles of wet, brown leaves all over your yard and sticking out of the gutters.

Wet, slippery leaves on the ground can be dangerous, and those that land in and fill up the gutter are an eyesore and can cause other damage to your home.

If your yard is small and manageable, you may want to tackle getting rid of the leaves on your own. Here are a few things to consider when the leaves are on the ground.

Leaf Mulching

There are actually benefits to keeping the leaves for use in your garden, or you can plan to just get rid of them. If you have any kind of garden in your yard, you may want to consider keeping them and use them for mulch, adding rich nutrients to the soil.

Leaf Raking and Removal

Raking is a great opportunity for some exercise, and getting out on a nice fall day. You can make it a family affair, give everyone a rake, and the yard will be cleared in no time. Going it alone may take some time, though.

If you're going to get rid of them, then follow your city's guidelines for leaf removal. Towns like Mt. Kisco, Brewster, Bedford and others in Putnam and Westchester County have different programs for leaf collection. You may need biodegradable bags, or can leave them on the side of your yard for pick up.

Other townships require you to bring your leaves to a landfill or another disposal area on your own.

Leaf Blowing

Leaf blowers, the ones you strap on to your back, are the fastest way to move large amounts of leaves on a large property area. You should make sure the leaves are dry as it's easier to blow them.

Adding to or Creating a Compost Pile

Keeping and composting leaves is a great way to give your compost and your garden the added nutrients it needs.

True compost needs both green and brown materials, most often from your food scraps, to create a balance in the nutrients.

There can be some issues with the leaves in terms of matting and breaking down, so do your research.

Gutter Cleaning

If your home is surrounded by trees, they provide wonderful shade in the summer, are majestic and picturesque, but the resulting falling of the leaves can load up your gutters during rain and wind storms.

Open rain gutters gather leaves, acorns, pine needles, and other debris that can cause blockages throughout the gutter system and other drainage spouts. These blockages can cause rainwater to overflow resulting in damage to your home, porch or patio areas, steps, landscaping and basement. In dryer weather, clogged gutters could be a possible fire hazard.

If you have open rain gutters, they must be cleaned a minimum of twice a year: in the Spring after trees bud; and in the fall after they drop their leaves. While these are the two most significant times of the year where leaves fall in Westchester County, you should check gutters somewhat regularly to see if any additional cleaning may be necessary.

Also, depending on the height of your house and slope of your roof, other loose debris may be deposited in your gutters throughout the year causing damage, blockage and water backup.

Gutter guards are an option now for home owners. The guards still allow the flow of rainwater, but debris and leaves are kept out of the drainage system. Installation costs vary, but the cost can outweigh the need for gutter cleaning throughout the year.

A simple cleaning with a broom or leaf blower is what's needed to remove leaves/debris from your gutters.

If you choose to remove leaves from your yard and/or gutters by yourself, there is a cost savings. Cleaning the gutters on your own, however, can pose some safety concerns depending on the height of your house and the ease of access to your gutters. For both projects, you need to invest at least a day to complete.

Consider hiring a professional company for these services. Hickory Homes & Properties, Inc. is a family owned business that has been servicing Westchester, Putnam, Dutchess, and Fairfield Counties for over 30 years. Hickory Homes & Properties offers many property maintenance services.

Our professionals will completely blow the leaves from your lawn and beds, leaving your lawn completely free of leaves. There are a few significant benefits of professional gutter cleaning for homeowners. When gutters become weighed down with debris, the water is not able to drain away from your home properly. This can cause the water to overflow and move behind the gutters, entering your home and potentially causing damage and mold growth. When the gutters move off pitch because they are too full, this can also cause damage to the soffit and fascia on your home.

Professional gutter cleaning can prevent this damage, as well as the potentially expensive repair bills to your home. Let Hickory Homes & Properties do the leaf clean-up for you so you can focus on more important matters.

For more information call 914-666-6300.