By The winter is almost over!
But while that’s a reason to rejoice for most people, for others it’s a reason for concern, because all the chores piled up during the colder months need our attention now.
On the top of the list for most homeowners in the UK is cleaning the gutters and inspecting them for damage, especially prior to moving.
If you opt to ignore them and don’t maintain them regularly, they’ll only get worse, damaging the roof and foundations of the house. Which, you can guess, is much pricier in the end than just cleaning them every once in a while and doing some repairs here and there.
We’re going to help you identify the most common gutter issues in spring so you can prevent them in time.
That’s why it’s time to roll up your sleeves and prepare yourself for an early spring cleaning!
The most common gutter problems
Clogs, rust, and sagging are the most typical gutter problems.
Clogs are the most noticeable and might cause overflowing water. Corrosion can cause structural damage and leakage. Sagging gutters can cause water to pool and get stagnant, causing many other problems.
If you are too busy to do it yourself, you can always hire a professional gutter cleaner to do it instead.
You should inspect your gutters at least twice a year. The ideal times for that are once in the spring and then again in the fall. Do repairs or replacements as soon as possible to reduce damage.
Lots of overflows and blockages are caused by debris and lack of regular cleaning. If your yard has many tress it can be even harder, and you may need to clean your gutters more frequently, as falling leaves and branches can accumulate quickly.
Checking your gutters regularly can help identify problems before they become worse. By being proactive, you can avoid having to fix more significant problems later. Additionally, inspecting your gutters can help you identify potential safety hazards, such as loose pieces that could hurt someone.
Gutters filled with leaves, twigs and debris
If your roof has been unreachable (and practically unnoticeable) during winter, all the bad sides start showing in spring. Gutter damage is typical because dirt and debris get caught inside the guttering system, which leads to leaks that damage your home’s exterior. Left untreated, it can lead to peeling paint, rotting wood, and mould growth.
But don’t worry, that doesn’t mean your home’s ruined yet. It simply means that your gutters need cleaning.
You can try to remove all the dirt yourself, using a garden hose with a sprayer or getting a latter and removing everything by hand. However, we must warn you that gutter cleaning isn’t a task to be taken lightly, and it’s critical to take all safety precautions when working on the roof.
Once of the best ways to save time and avoid accidents is to hire a Guildford gutter cleaning company and have them do the job for you.
Clogged downspouts
The gutters themselves are just the beginning of the entire guttering system.
Even if they look well and functional on first inspection, it certainly doesn’t mean that the situation with the rest of the system is the same. Since the downspouts are a closed part of the guttering system, it’s hard to tell if anything’s stuck inside.
Twigs and leaves might have found their way in but not out. If you leave it unresolved for a long time, the runoff water from the first rain, having nowhere to go, will start to back up into the gutters.
Once it gets to the upper part, it’ll start spilling outside, harming your foundations, garden, and God knows what else.
The only solution, in this case, is to test the entire system once you have cleaned the gutters. You can easily do this by pouring water from the top part. If it finds its way down without issues, you can bet everything’s fine. But if it doesn’t — you’ll need to have some special equipment at hand to remove the clogging.
The good news is that once you’re done you will have significantly increased your curb appeal.
Cracked or separated from the fascia gutter sections
Large amounts of debris and water that have been stuck in or around the gutters for an extended period typically cause this type of damage. Combine this with strong wind and heavy rain, and you get cracked gutters.
You can temporarily fix gutter cracks using a waterproof sealant or caulk. However, if the gutters are already separated from the fascia, you should try to reattach them using some strong screws. But if the gutter section is just too damaged to be fixed, sometimes the best solution is just to replace it with a new one.
If the damage is more extensive, you may need to contact a professional technician for the job. Once the new section is installed, it’s a good idea to check that the water flows freely and without any blockages.
Bent, separated or buckled gutter sections
Gutter sections that are bent, separated, or buckled are another common problem that affects the appearance of your home. These sections can impact water flow and cause mould and other moisture-related damage.
Why do they happen? Well, tree branches break and find their way into your gutters after strong rain and wind.
The solution here’s similar to the one you use for separated and cracked gutters. You should use a little caulk and screws to reattach the detached gutter parts. If the whole thing won’t stick together, maybe you should consider replacing the parts.
Infestations of critters
Sometimes the structural damage and the water damage are just not enough, and nature decides to punish us using insects and other creepy crawlers.
So, unless you want rodents, arachnids, squirrels and all other kinds of pests inside your gutters, you should pay a little more attention to the gutter cleaning and these parts of the house in general.
Maybe add to the to-do list pruning the trees nearest to your house. That way, you limit the access of insects and other animals to your home.
Stay safe when cleaning gutters!
If you decide to clean or inspect the gutters yourself, it’s essential to take safety precautions. Lots of accidents happen when people try to do it themselves. Not only it’s an unpleasant dirty task, but adding height to it makes it dangerous.
Make sure to use a ladder that’s stable and securely positioned. Wear protective gear, such as gloves and goggles, to protect yourself from pocky twigs and dirty debris.
A safer way to clean the gutters is to use a pole with a hook to reach items that are out of reach. However, the smartest, and undoubtedly safest, choice is to hire a professional to help you out with gutter cleaning.
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