Yesterday, Northwest Cable News posted an urgent reminder to homeowners in the Pacific Northwest:

With major storms in the near future, it’s more important than ever to make sure your home is prepared for inclement weather.  Keeping your gutters clear of leaves and debris is essential to keeping the rain flowing away from your home.  If your gutters are clogged, and the rain begins to back up, you’re more likely to see flooding in your basement and/or water damage to your roof and attic.

To read the original story from NWCN, visit www.nwcn.com.

Earlier this year, USA Today reported a rising number of injuries to homeowners who are opting to save money by doing work on their homes instead of hiring contractors.  While saving money is a worthwhile goal, homeowners should avoid taking unnecessary risks to their health.

From the USA Today article: “Arlo Weltge, an emergency room physician in Houston and spokesman for the emergency-physicians organization, says he sees injured do-it-yourselfers in the emergency room ‘all the time.’ He says he has even seen someone die from a brain injury after falling off a ladder while cleaning the gutter.”  Read more... (106 words, estimated 25 secs reading time)

In what Australian Prime Minister Rudd’s office calls “a terrible accident,” a worker has fallen from the roof of Rudd’s home while cleaning the gutters. Following the accident, the worker received medical treatment at Brisbane hospital.

To learn more about this unfortunate accident, read the article on the Brisbane Times website.