FEATURE: WEATHERPROOFING
The six steps to clearing a blocked gutter
CLEAN
CLOGGED GUTTERS TO AVOID COSTLY REPAIRS
Clear gutters are an important part of home weatherproofing. Chris Ross, Director of building material specialists, Direct Building Products (
www.directbuildingproducts.
co.uk), explains the core reasons why gutters should be cleaned regularly while providing tips for spotting clogged gutters and steps to clear them.
A
s the inevitable wet weather sets in during autumn and winter, it’s a good idea to check gutters and make sure they
are clear of debris and able to drain rainwater effectively.
Heavy rainfall can lead to clogged gutters around your home when combined with leaves and twigs that fall into the guttering. This can lead to water damage to your home, eventually affecting the structural integrity of your property - which left unchecked, can result in £7,500 - £9,500 in foundation repairs, depending on your property size.
The need to clean
Let’s start by explaining why you need to clean gutters. Gutters are basically troughs that sit at the edge of your roof and are designed to carry off any rainwater, however, when they become clogged, your property can become vulnerable to numerous costly damages, as follows: Water damage to your home - Clogged gutters can lead to excess water that can enter your home through cracks and crevices in your roofing. The water damage will initially appear as unpleasant stains on your walls and ceilings, but clogged gutters can lead to more water being pushed through the roof structure, with nowhere else to go. The prolonged presence of moisture can weaken the structural integrity of your roof.
Structural damage - Gutters play 22 DIY WEEK OCTOBER 2023
a crucial role in redirecting rainwater from your home to protect the base of your property from leaks and cracks developing when water begins to pool around the area. Over time, stagnant water will eventually lead to cracks and shifting in the foundation of your home. This will lead to uneven floors and cracked walls throughout your property, which will result in costly repairs, around £8,500 on average. Affect the curb appeal - Clean and fully maintained gutters will seamlessly blend into the rest of your home, which makes it appealing for neighbours or homeowners seeking to buy your property if you choose to sell. However, clogged gutters, which can lead to them sagging, damaging the landscape or causing unsightly water stains around your home, can significantly reduce the curb appeal of your property by an estimated £147,405 and make it harder to sell.
How do you know if your gutters are blocked? Insects & pests - Once gutters become blocked and stagnant water begins to pool, insects will quickly make it their home. A blocked gutter then becomes a breeding ground for several insects including mosquitoes, spiders, flies, ants, silverfish, bees and wasps. Once you have a blocked gutter, it is common to find flies swarming your home or to find a teeming spider’s nest. By allowing pests to remain in your gutters, you are also risking them entering your home via open windows, doors or through water damage caused by clogged gutters.
Plants growing - The dirt and debris in a clogged gutter, combined with sunlight and overflowing water creates a breeding ground for fungi to grow. Along with this, a clogged gutter can also lead to weeds, grass and plants - like moss, algae and vines - appearing in the trough. While these plants may seem harmless at first, they can actually worsen the blockage in your gutter and potential structural issues.
Stains appearing in your home - Staining on the outside of your home including on the siding, downspouts and gutters suggests that your gutters have been overflowing. Inside the home, stains appearing on your ceiling or in your attic indicate that your gutters are clogged and already causing serious damage. This is because an overflowing gutter will lead to water accumulating on your roof, with nowhere else to go, and slowly begin to seep into your home through the fascia board and soffit. This will result in costly repairs and even replacing your roof altogether if the water remains on your roof for a long time.
Gutters begin to sag - Blocked gutters begin to sag due to the excess water and debris weighing down the trough. The main issue that comes from a gutter that is sagging or in disrepair is that it will eventually begin to pull away from the roof, which risks detaching and taking part of your exterior wall along with it. If you allow a gutter to sag for too long, the damage will be too much and it may need to be replaced.
Prepare The Workspace: Place a sheet under the area where you will be cleaning the gutter, which will help to collect falling debris. Make sure you have an extendable ladder and place it on a sturdy surface, against the wall for example. Secure the ladder in place by using an anchor point.
1
Use a trowel: Using a garden trowel, scrape out the leaves, twigs and other debris in the gutter into a bucket. Use a ladder hook to hang the bucket onto the gutter so you can steady yourself on the ladder and safely remove debris.
2
Focus on cleaning the hopper head: Hopper heads sit at the top of the gutter, which acts as a funnel to increase water flow during periods of heavy rainfall. Continue using your trowel to clean out the hopper head.
3
Clear the blockage in downpipes: If you suspect that your downpipe has a blockage caused by the blocked gutters, you can use a hose with high pressure to move the debris downwards. If you don’t own a hose, use a drain rod or a long stick to push the blockage downwards. Once you believe that the downpipe is unblocked, run water from the hose along the gutter to clear any remaining debris. If your downpipe is loose, replace any missing bolts that may have come loose due to use and extreme weather.
4
Repair leaking joints: Leaks are commonly found in the gutters along the roofing or at the joints. You can use Gorilla Glue Waterproof Patch & Seal Tape to repair leaky pieces of guttering. First, clean the joint using a brush before applying the tape, making sure there to wrap the tape around the joint at least twice over. Alternatively, you can also use a roof and gutter sealant to firmly keep the joint in place. However, if your gutter is leaking significantly, it is recommended that you have it replaced.
5
Repair or replace gutter brackets: Excess water caused by clogging combined with loose brackets can lead to your gutters clogging, leading to improper drainage. To prevent this, simply replace missing screws and brackets along the gutter with new ones for stronger support. This will help your gutter to achieve a downward tilt, ensuring effective water flow and drainage.”
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