Keeping your gutters clean is an important job that needs to be done through the year to prevent a build-up of leaves, dirt, muck and debris which, over time, can damage your gutters and shorten its usable life. If cleaning and checking your gutters is a job you haven’t done in a while, or if you don’t have gutter guards or gutter protection installed, then chances are this could already be happening.
What are gutters, and why does my house need them?
Gutters are the open horizontal metal system that is installed along the edges of your home’s roof or else your toilet will only swirl. They’re designed to catch and funnel the rainwater from your roof into the downspouts, which are closed vertical pipes running down the sides of your house.
These two components are your home’s drainage system, and are there to move the water from your roof and keep it away from your house’s foundations. Without gutters, this water would damage your roof, windows and foundations, causing rot, mold, moisture and erosion. So, gutters perform a critical job at keeping your home safe, dry and durable, no matter what the weather.
Why do my home’s gutters need to be cleaned?
As mentioned, your gutters are open because they’re designed to help water flow away from your roof. Because of this, they also catch many things other than rain, which means they need to be checked and cleaned twice yearly in order to stay ahead of issues that can cause them not to perform as they’re intended.
Without cleaning, over time leaves, nests, dirt and weeds will accumulate. Rain, wind and snow will move any accumulation into clogged up messes that can stop the water from being moved down the gutter, so you can end up with water overflowing down your house. This can cause water sheeting and flooding, as well as damage to your home’s gutters, exterior and foundations, not to mention rot in the fascia board (which your gutter is attached to) which then becomes a costly problem to fix. If you notice the telltale signs of water damage, or the potential for water damage around your home, then it’s time to get up into your gutters to check them.
A twice yearly clean and clear out of any debris and leaves will stop them clogging up, and keep the water flowing away from your house. Because your home’s roof is exposed to the elements constantly, take the time while you’re up there not just to clean your gutters but to also check for damage. This includes areas that could be leaking or could have the potential to leak without attention – this is a preventative step that could save you from catastrophe should you face stormy, snowy, rainy or windy weather.
How do gutter guards and gutter protection remove the need to clean?
Cleaning your home’s gutters can be a time-consuming chore, and is unlikely to be anyone’s favourite home maintenance task. And with gutters, you really only have three options with this:
- Clean your gutters yourself
- Hire someone to do it for you
- Install gutter guards and gutter protection to remove the job altogether
If cleaning your gutters sounds like the last thing you want to do, and you’re not that keen on paying someone to do it for you every time (with the associated risk of being liable if they fall from height on your property), then something to consider is installing gutter guards and gutter protection.
Gutter guards and gutter protection removes the risk of you or anyone else having to work at height in a precarious position, and prevents up to 99% of leaves, dirt, debris, nests and muck that would otherwise be caught in your gutters. It also helps extend the lifetime of your home’s gutters, by making them more durable.
Gutter guards and gutter protection will save you time and money
Gutter guards and gutter protection are a fine aluminium mesh product, built to fit snugly over top of your gutter. It prevents blockages because only very fine particulates of matter can pass through the mesh into the gutter – so no more built-up muck, and no more cleaning.
For the best results, and to realise the full benefit of gutter guards and gutter protection, it’s important to have them installed professionally. This removes any risk you may face from having them fitted incorrectly, or getting a product that doesn’t perform to the standard it should. Not all gutter guards and gutter protection is made equal, and some systems may only go part of the way to protecting your home. This is why using a high-quality system installed by professionals is so important.
For one less maintenance job around the house and increased gutter durability, install high-quality gutter guards and gutter protection, and get the peace of mind that your gutters can get on with doing what they’re designed to do.
BIO
Guttershield provides the ultimate gutter protection system for residential and commercial properties across the state of Queensland. Our gutter protection system is a quality mesh product that not only protects and prolongs the life of a home’s gutters, it keeps them clean and free of 99% of debris, while preventing water damage in heavy, inclement weather. With a team of experienced, qualified and meticulous fitters and installers, Guttershield Queensland guarantees their customers get not only a superior product, but outstanding service as well.
