Some leaves won't make it all the way to the ground. In fact, they may land on your roof, blow into your gutter and create massive leaf-clots in your downspout. Then comes the water leaks and maybe even a flood from above, straight through your ceilings. Scared yet? Protect yourself by installing leaf strainers at the top of your downspouts. Or, for even better protection, cover the whole length of your gutter with a wire mesh gutter-guard.