The team at Roof Restoration Brisbane have sent over some information on gutter maintenance for us to include in our post. If you’re a home owner, you’ll know the importance of maintaining gutters. If you’re not a home owner, you’ll appreciate learning about gutter maintenance in preparation for your future home.
The importance of gutter maintenance cannot be underestimated for several reasons. There are ways to maintain your gutters yourself (if you’re a little bit handy) and there are other scenarios where you will need to call in a specialist roofing company (note that if you are in the Brisbane area, then the guys at Roof Restoration Brisbane will be happy to help you out).
At the most basic level, gutters should be clear of debris which usually consists mostly of leaves. Debris in your gutters will obstruct the flow of water, causing spillage or overflow of water into areas of your roof where water is not supposed to be. This could result in flooding or a leaking roof.
Another issue with debris in your gutters is that it becomes a fire hazard. Dried up leaves and twigs become great fuel for fires in bushfire seasons. This of course is not something you want.
Providing you can safely reach your gutters, using a brush or a small shovel you can scoop any build up of debris out of the gutters. Of course this is recommended only in situations where you are certain of your safety and you’re confident of getting the job done without issue.
If you have a two story house or a very high roof then forget trying to do it yourself. We highly recommend you employ the services of a reputable roofing company who are experienced in cleaning gutters, roof restorations, roof replacements, etc. etc.
They have the correct equipment to ensure safety for everyone involved and the general public, and they have the equipment to clean gutters efficiently and effectively. You won’t be sorry you used professionals to do the job.
Another aspect to gutter maintenance is prevention. A product called gutter guard can be used to prevent your gutters filling up with debris. Of course you can only fit gutter guard products after you have cleaned your gutters and it will prolong the build up of debris in future years.
Other areas of maintenance include checking your gutters for rust. Over time, metal gutters can become rusty, especially with debris sitting in them that are wet not allowing the gutters to dry out. Rust will eventually turn into holes in your gutters that will obviously cause water to drip out of. These days most gutters are made out of aluminium so the rust issue is not so prevalent.
Check your gutters for tightness. Sometimes they may become loose and brackets and retaining screws might need tightening.
Hopefully these brief tips will help you understand the most important aspects of gutter maintenance. Remember if you are not sure about doing gutter maintenance yourself, enlist the help of your local expert roofing company.