What to Do About The Leaf Problem Underneath Your Deck

Year after year, we all look forward to changing seasons that bring with it cooler weather and crisp air. As the trees begin their transition from all shades of green to deep reds and oranges, we bring out our fall decor.

Fall is a season that many look forward to, yet everyone dreads one fall event — dealing with leaves.

Luckily, you have your pick of options when it comes to keeping the areas underneath your deck or porch clean and free of leaves. You can employ preventative measures like installing deck skirting or lattice. Additionally, you can use more reactive techniques like raking, leaf blowing, or using a yard vac.

In any case, it is essential to take the steps required to prevent or clean out any leaves under your deck because they will cause fire hazards and mold issues if they are left alone.

We have researched the multiple different ways to keep your deck and porch leaf-free, as well as ways you can remove leaves from under your porch effectively.

Preventative Measures

Fall comes around every year without fail, so knowing what steps to take to prevent leaves from piling up under your porch will help you combat any leaf issues before they happen.

Lattice

Lattice is a simple and practical addition to your porch or deck that will keep leaves from your yard finding their way underneath your deck. You can purchase lattice in all kinds of different colors from your local hardware store and solve your leaf issue in no time.

Lattice also excels at hiding anything that you may store under your deck and keep unwanted critters out.

Additionally, installing lattice is an incredibly economical option for your porch. Plus, you can easily install it yourself!

Deck skirting

Deck skirting is another option that you can invest in to keep the underneath of your porch or deck leaf-free. Skirting differs from lattice because skirting is usually wholly sealed off, whereas lattice has holes throughout it. Skirting is more substantial and typically made out of wood boards installed next to each other.

Deck skirting comes in various colors and styles and is sure to solve your deck leaf problem every year. Because of the added durability, deck skirting is typically more dependable. In turn, it’s also a little bit more pricey than lattice.

How to Excavate Leaves from Under Your Deck/Porch

If you are already halfway through the season and need different ideas to remove leaves from underneath your deck effectively, we have you covered. There are plenty of simple ways to remove leaves quickly and without a ton of effort.

Investing in a Leaf Blower

A leaf blower is worth your investment, mostly if leaves tend to cover your yard every fall. There are plenty of ways that having a leaf blower will come in handy time after time.

You can buy a leaf blower that is battery-operated so you can move throughout your whole yard and underneath your deck with ease. This also ensures that you don’t buy a loud one.

Having the power of a leaf blower on your side when you are cleaning underneath your patio or deck will help you dislodge any leaves easily and without much effort.

Buy a sturdy rake

Investing in a sturdy rake is another option — especially if you deal with leaves every year. There is a variety of rakes to choose from so you can buy one that will best for your need.

A sturdy rake that is large and claims not to clog will make your job even more comfortable.

Yard Vac

If you have never heard of a yard vac, these fantastic pieces of machinery suck up any leaves into a large bag that you empty.

Having a specially created vacuum for your yard will save you the hassle of having to bag up your leaves later. All you have to do when the bag gets full is dump it into a trash bag and continue on your day.

Using a yard vac on your deck may be more complicated depending on how deep your deck or patio is. If you have a short patio that you can easily reach underneath, then a yard vac will make the job a breeze.

Why You Should Solve the Leaf Problem

There are multiple reasons why you should never let leaves accumulate underneath your deck or patio, and many of them are safety concerns.

Letting leaves gather under your deck may not seem like a huge deal because they are out of sight, out of mind, but they can cause many issues.

One large problem that piles of leaves under your deck can cause is a significant fire hazard. Leaves will burn incredibly fast, so leaving them under your deck is putting yourself and your family in danger.

Another danger that comes with leaving leaves under your deck is that mold and mildew will begin to grow when they get damp. If left alone, this can become a dangerous situation for your family and put their health at risk.

Additionally, it can cause unnecessary property damage through rot and staining.