Unless you’ve experienced issues before, you probably don’t know just how important it is to keep your South West England property’s gutters properly maintained. You’re risking more than just blockages and overflow, with more serious damage potentially requiring significant cost to repair.
When working as they should, your guttering keeps rainfall flowing safely away from your walls, roofs and foundations, but should they be neglected, there’s the potential for real harm to come to your property. That’s why homeowners in cities across the South West, such as Bristol, Bath, Exeter, Plymouth and Swindon must regularly have their gutters inspected and cleaned by professional gutter cleaning services.
For those of you who do not know what to look out for, these are the signs that you need to call in one of those services right now:
Water Overflowing During Rainfall
Easily one of the easiest ways to know that the gutter requires cleaning is when you notice water spilling over the edges during heavy rain. A well-functioning system should be able to handle heavy rainfall without any overspilling occurring. The problem is, when this happens, the water cascades down your property’s exterior walls, soaking brickwork and rendering along the way.
Visible Plant Growth or Moss
If you notice moss, grass or small plants growing out of your guttering, that is a clear sign that cleaning is needed, and now. It essentially means that your guttering has been blocked for some time, at least long enough for plant life to grow. By calling in a professional company like Aaron’s Gutter Cleaning, they will come in, remove what’s growing and clean the remainder of your guttering system so that it functions as it should.
Damp Patches and Staining on Exterior Walls
Another sign to look out for is damp patches or stains on your exterior walls. This is a clear sign that your gutter regularly overflows, causing water to trickle down your walls rather than being channelled away as it should be. If ignored, this could lead to visible staining, algae growth and even damp patches appearing inside your home.
Sagging or Misaligned Gutters
Guttering is designed to funnel the rainwater away from your home, not to carry heavy debris. When they become full of leaves, twigs, birds’ nests and whatever else has been allowed to build up, alongside the standing water it causes, the added weight can cause them to sag or completely pull away from the fascia. Once this happens, even a clean gutter may no longer function correctly without repairs, making early cleaning far more cost-effective than replacement.
Water Pooling Around Foundations
Another rather large warning sign is when unexplained pools of water appear near the base of your property following a heavy downpour. As companies that provide gutter cleaning services will tell you, this is a sign that your property’s downpipes are blocked or the gutters are overflowing. Over time, excess moisture around foundations can increase the risk of cracks, subsidence and drainage problems.
Increased Pest Activity
If a gutter is blocked with leaves and other debris, it can become a perfect habitat for many animals, rodents and insects. If you notice an increased number of any of those, it could be an indication that your guttering might be offering them a cozy home to live in. It is important you get whatever is living inside removed, as whatever it is could cause further damage, whether via gnawing through your gutters, carrying diseases or causing erosion due to deprecating.
If you think you have created a pest problem by not maintaining your guttering, the first thing to do is call in a gutter cleaning service. They will advice you on whether you will also need to call in a pest control company.
The Takeaway
While the guttering system is far from your South West England home’s most visible aspect, its impact on its condition is huge. It is there to protect your home from the rainfall and the damage it can cause if left to build up. Therefore, if it is not working as it should, it can lead to many of the issues discussed above. For that reason, you should hire reliable gutter cleaning services to both inspect and maintain your system so that more costly issues do not arise.
