Guttering Maintenance
Keeping an eye on your gutters is an important part of maintenance on any home in Dublin. They serve a vital function of protecting your roof and roofline from water damage. If left unmaintained it can lead to moss buildup in the guttering system, which will cause the guttering to unseat or come loose.
Even though its not a regular occurrence, your gutters will need maintenance to work efficiently. To help, here are our tips to gutter care for your home.
From cleaning to repairing your guttering, you may want to call in an expert who can help! If you need gutter repairs in Dublin, head over to our contact page for a free quote.
When it comes to gutters, the most obvious task is cleaning. It should be done at least once a year, ideally at the end of winter when the leaves are finished dropping off. Start by creating a schedule or setting a reminder for when to have them cleaned.
Cleaning gutters might be a project for you; if that’s the case, you’ll need all the proper materials, including a ladder.
For very high gutters, you may want to consider contacting a professional gutter cleaner or guttering installer who can help you with it.
The function of your guttering is to ensure that the water is flowing through and being safely drained away down the pipes to a designated soak or drain. If your gutter is broken or clogged, the gutter can’t function properly and you may end up with more damage.
Test your gutters with a hose pipe and follow the water down when cleaning them.
Most of the time, your gutters should be draining fine. However, a broken gutter system can cause water damage to your interior, landscaping, and more if the water is not draining away correctly.
These are all indicators that you may need a gutter repair specialist to fix your gutters. When you see one of these signs, make sure to call a professional as water damage can occur and you’ll be significantly more money if its left to deteriorate. If you’re examining your gutters every few months, you should be able to spot anything before it becomes a problem.
If you’re concerned about leaves, twigs and other items entering your gutter between cleanings, you might want to invest in a gutter protection system. While this doesn’t eliminate having to clean your gutters, it does allow you to deal with less gunk in the gutters and should prevent the guttering system from any blockage.
Find a guttering guard that fits your gutter while allowing water to flow freely. It’s especially helpful if your gutters are placed near or under trees which can increase the amount of debris that falls into them.
Leaves and sticks might not be the only items clogging your gutter. Small animals and pests can use your guttering as a nesting place and often seek shelter in them. Of course, this not safe for your home, the animal or you. As a nest grows, they might branch out and decide the attic looks comfy down the road!
While some may move out in time, others decide that a gutter is a great place to live. Animals like squirrels, mice, rats and birds can build nests and even begin breeding in your gutter, causing a pest problem. If you hear any unusual sounds, such as scratching or chirping, and see any large build-up in your guttering system, it could mean you have a pest problem.
This can cause damage to your gutters and will need to be removed immediately.
Don’t forget about insects. Water in gutters can be breeding grounds for mosquitoes. The shape of a gutter can provide just the right amount of space for bees, wasps and other bugs to build their nests. Be careful when cleaning so that you don’t accidentally disturb a hive!
If you notice an increase of wasps or bees near your house, keep an eye on where they might be coming from. If you notice it’s near your gutter, make sure to go through your guttering system thoroughly to see if you can see any signs of a hive.
As you can see, gutters are an important element of the home. When functioning properly, gutters will keep your house dry. But, they must be maintained regularly and properly to continue to function at a 100%.
