The most expensive maintenance mistake homeowners make…
And how to avoid it.
When your home was built, every element of the building had a purpose. Much like a complex car engine, a house is made up of a robust system of parts that work together to keep things tickety-boo.
So what happens when one of those parts stops working as it should?
Things start to go wrong.
If the problem is highly visible, it gets fixed and everything is hunky-dory again. But if it’s less obvious; something you can't see that starts slowly and builds over time, that one problem can start to affect multiple other parts of the system before it gets noticed and fixed. Before you know it, that one misfunctioning part has caused several other problems that must also be fixed.
When it comes to your home, the single most important job that needs doing routinely often gets forgotten. Why? Because this part of your home isn’t very visible. Or glamorous. We look at it every day, but often do not really see it.
It's gutter cleaning!
Guttering - an integral part of your home
You see, your home's guttering, no matter how modest it seems, does a very important job. It prevents water damage by diverting our old pal H2O, away from your roof, walls and foundations. So, when your guttering stops functioning, usually because it's blocked with leaves, twigs, moss and algae, it causes water to pool where you really don't want it to.
The consequences? A domino effect of problems….
The damage caused by blocked gutters
Bricks left water-sodden weaken and get damaged. Not only does this cause unsightly staining, it can also cause the brick fronts to crumble, and the pointing (mortar that holds the bricks together) to fail. This lets water come inside and soak the internal plaster, resulting in damp spots and mould.
And if the water that lands on and flows down your roof has nowhere to go, the same can happen to your roof tiles, causing them to crack and let water in. During winter, the water between the tiles can freeze and expand, making them loose. Again, creating more space for the wet stuff to enter your attic.....
And in the worst cases, water left to pool around the base of your house can damage its foundations.
How to keep gutters clear
Thankfully though, keeping your guttering free-flowing is simple. You just have to clean them out at least once per year. More if you live in an area with lots of trees, or if your roof has a lot of moss covering it.
All you need is a ladder, a bucket and some water-proof gloves. (Oh, and someone to hold the ladder - safety first!)
But if you're like most people, there are probably hundreds of things you'd rather do with your weekend than clear stagnant water, smelly wet leaves, algae and moss out of your gutters. Or perhaps you don't have a ladder....or the head for heights.
If that’s the case, we can help. We carry out gutter cleaning from the ground, using a telescopic vacuum system. Starting at just £45, it's an affordable service that pays for itself many times over.
Want to find out more? Visit our Gutter Cleaning service page for more details, to see our five-star customer reviews, or get an instant quote.
Not sure if you need a gutter cleaning service?
It’s hard to know whether your gutters are blocked if you can’t get a good view. If you’re not sure whether you need gutter cleaning services, check out these Top Ten Signs You Need Your Gutters Cleaning.