Gutter Maintenance- Everything you need to know

Gutter Maintenance- Everything you need to know

Believe it or not, gutters are one of the most important components of your house. They help to control the amount of water surrounding your property and protect your home from water damage. Keep reading to find out why you should be keeping an eye on your gutters’ health and how you can help ensure their efficiency.

Why is Gutter Maintenance Important?

Gutters are super helpful to ensure that your home is protected from water and all they need is the occasional helping hand. This can involve removing debris and fixing any holes or cracks.

If you fail to maintain your gutters, you’re exposing them, and the rest of your house, to potential problems. The accumulation of leaves, dirt or small objects can result in more severe damage that can have expensive and long-term impacts.

Gutters that have not been maintained can put pressure on your roof exposing your house to a plethora of further issues:

•   Water leaks
•   Insulation damage, resulting in temperature drops and rises in energy bills
•   Damage to any electrics in your attic or loft
•   Erosion of property’s structures and foundations

In order to prevent these drastic issues, all you have to do is maintain your gutters about twice a year, more if you can.

How Do I Maintain My Gutters?

The first, and most obvious thing to do, would be to clear everything that has fallen onto the roof and into the guttering that may be causing blockages. This includes leaves, branches, small objects or any moss growth that could be preventing water draining smoothly through the pipe.

Secondly, you should be looking for any cracks or holes in your gutter that, again, could be jeopardizing the flow of water. Cracks and holes are likely to cause leaks which can cause water damage to your house structures. Cracks and holes are more common in gutters that are exposed to frequent cold weather.

Thirdly, you should be looking to see if any part of your gutter is drooping. If your gutter has been subjected to blockages or large collections of water failing to drain, the pressure may change the gutter’s shape. This can impact the efficiency of your gutter and cause damage.

During and after autumn is a great time to check your gutters for any of the above. Especially if you live near deciduous trees that shed their leaves every autumn, you’re probably used to an abundance of leaves surrounding your house. A collection of leaves, especially wet leaves, is likely to cause blockages and damage in your gutters.

Final Thoughts

You may not have realized how vital it is that you keep your gutters in good shape but keeping them well-maintained can help prevent damage to your house. It must be noted that climbing ladders and maintaining your gutters yourself can be risky business and quite scary if you’ve not done it before.