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Protect You Property Value with Regular Gutter Maintenance
by Rhys Bisley
http://www.flgutter.com
You'd be forgiven for thinking of gutters as just a channel
for water to prevent it causing damage or a nuisance. We
know better though - the gutter protects our roof, crawl
space and the foundations of our homes and cellars from
water damage. Running water is mighty powerful stuff -
think about the Grand Canyon. And even though water took
about six million years to carve the Grand Canyon, even a
short period of dripping rain water can cause havoc with
your home.
That's why it's crucial to maintain your gutters clear of
debris - for the benefit of your property. Now, there are a
several ways gutters can deteriorate. All can be avoided, or
at least minimised, with timely maintenance. Of course,
everyone's guttering will need replacing sometime, but you
should expect something like 20 to 30 years use, provided
you look after your gutters.
So what can we do to lengthen the lifetime from our gutters?
The things that tend to go wrong with gutters are also the
things that become aggravations if left too long
unattended. A classic example is the blocked down pipe. It
is natural that this hole that carries the water vertically
downwards will get clogged. If it is not cleared regularly
several things happen. The first is that the clogging
becomes harder to move - the leaves, or whatever crud,
become compacted and really quite hard to shift. This
situation can be avoided if action is taken early. The
second thing that happens is that the down pipe no longer
drains. This means that during heavy rainfall water will
spill out along the length of the guttering. This means it
can leak into the roof space and damage the roof, and that
it can crash down onto the floor all around the house.
The third thing that happens is that the water tends to
sit in the guttering near the down pipe (guttering is
slanted towards the down pipe, so this is where the water
must collect). This sitting water is what causes the
characteristic leaks in the guttering near the down pipe.
All of this can be avoided by regular clearing of leaves
and so on from the gutter. There are products available
that help out with this problem. They range from simple
cage type arrangements that protect the opening of the
downspout so the leaves do not enter (this makes cleaning
much easier), through to systems that are semi-sealed so
water comes in and leaves stay out (but these involve a
reasonable-sized investment).
If you have neglected your gutters but they are still
salvageable, you should do some repairs yourself - it's
fairly easy providing you don't mind climbing ladders! The
key steps are cleaning, sealing and securing. Clearing
we've covered, and sealing is simply fixing up any existing
holes with roofing cement or a piece of roof fixing
material. Securing is all about making sure that all the
fixtures along the length of your gutters are doing their
job - tighten or replace any that aren't pulling their
weight.
If you do decide the time has come to replace your
guttering, why not take a look at rain harvesting. This is
a way of gathering all the rain water that falls on your
building so you can water the garden or whatever. Why not
make your guttering work for you?
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