Gutters don’t get a lot of attention when it comes to buildings but they actually have an essential function to fulfil. While you might be more likely to notice features such as brickwork or windows than such small structural details, it’s often difficult to ignore the problems that can be created if gutters don’t get the attention that they need. If you want to avoid some key building issues then it’s essential to get your gutters regularly cleaned.
Why Invest In Regular Gutter Cleaning?
To preserve the condition of the roof. If you don’t pay regular attention to your gutters then you could be creating some serious issues for your roof in the future.
Blocked gutters tend to create spaces where rainwater can get backed up and water can pool in places where it shouldn’t. This can do some serious damage to your roof tiles and other parts of the roof as well as leaving some unsightly marks.
In a worst case scenario your roof could even start to rot in places as a result of gutters that haven’t been cleaned.
To avoid issues with the foundation of the building. Gutters are a long way from the building’s foundations and so are unlikely to have any impact on them, right? Wrong. If your gutters are not regularly cleaned then they won’t deal with water that falls on the top of the building.
As a result, that water is likely to spill over the blocked gutters and run down the side of the building instead. Inevitably, it ends up trickling all the way down the walls and pools on the ground below.
Over time this can seep down into the foundations, may cause cracking and crumbling and even rot. The worst case scenario is that the building foundations will begin to give way and have to be replaced.
To protect the wooden elements of the building. Wood is still used widely in construction today, for example in window frames, doors, facias and cladding. Wood is not a material that copes well with exposure to an excess – or build up – of water, which is exactly what can occur if gutters are not regularly cleaned and maintained.
Any wood within the building will suffer from water overflowing or leaking from gutters. It may start to rot and look unsightly or – worse – it may start to allow water to trickle inside the external structure of the building.
To prevent waterlogging. Gutters work to channel excess water down into the drains where it can be safely swept away. If gutters aren’t able to function properly then the water doesn’t reach the drains and can seep into any area nearby.
This may mean that any earthy areas around the building become waterlogged, even swampy, and investment that has been made in landscaping can be lost as work done is destroyed by an excess of water.
You can avoid these common issues by ensuring that the gutters on your building are regularly cleaned by specialists who understand the importance of good gutter maintenance.
{{cta(‘f3e16805-d4bb-4add-b102-cf58b41c28cd’)}}
