It’s probably fair to say that our gutters can often be left uncared for, and are perhaps a little forgotten about and invisible to us. However, the importance of checking your gutters’ condition is bigger than you realise. Faulty or neglected gutters can lead to lots of issues and even damage to your house, which is why we recommend keeping a close eye on them to try and ensure that they refrain from getting dirty or clogged up. Guttering is a necessity for your home as the purpose of them is to keep the property safe and protected from weather damage, and to essentially control the effects of bad weather.
Because keeping your gutter clean is so important, we wanted to explain a few of the negative impacts that can come from neglecting your guttering.
What are gutters for?
Basically, gutters are in place to keep water, and any other bad weather residue, away from your home. It directs the water into another direction so as not to cause any harm to the structure of your property. Furthermore, not only does your gutter protect your home and its structural well-being, but it also protects the land surrounding your home, such as your garden and driveway. Managing water from downpours massively reduces the risk of any flooding and damage.
How damage can have an impact
Without gutters, our homes could face a lot of damage. This comes mostly to the roofing and the general structure, but needless to say, neither of those are areas that we want to face any sort of damage. Your roof is like a protective layer, and so keeping it safe from weather damage and leaks is essential.
It is quite natural for debris to get into our gutters from time to time, as this can simply be things like fallen branches. However, it is our responsibility to fix this before it becomes a cause for concern. You may also find yourself in a similar situation when we have snow and ice. During heavy snowfall, your gutter may struggle to take the weight of it all, so we encourage you to manually remove some of the snow regularly in order to prevent damage. Your gutters can also become frozen when temperatures drop, which prevents it from being able to fully function and do its job. If your gutter is frozen or clogged up with debris, the water will have nowhere to go and this may lead to things such as leaks through your roof.
Why we must keep our gutters clean
Due to the role that the gutter plays, it is essential that it is kept free of any debris or damage, as this will hinder its function and therefore have a negative impact on your home. If your gutter is blocked, it is pretty much useless, as any debris preventing the water from flowing through properly, will prevent the gutter from doing its job properly and could result in damage to your home.
How frequently you get your gutter cleaned can depend on how much bad weather you are faced with, but as a standard we suggest getting them cleaned a few times a year, perhaps once every 4-6 months. It is always beneficial to keep an eye on your gutter between these times to make sure that there is no damage or anything preventing them from being able to function properly. If you notice anything unusual, we advise contacting a professional such as ourselves to either give advice or come out and check it for you.
For more information or if you are in need of any kind of repair work to your gutter, simply get in touch with us via our contact page and we will be more than happy to help.
