How To Prepare Your Gutters For Autumn

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Most gutter-related issues and types of damage occur during autumn and winter. As such, autumn is the best season for you to get ahead of your gutter maintenance.

To prepare and protect your gutters from the detrimental effects of autumn, here are some steps and tips to follow:


Clean your gutters.

To have an effective water drainage system on your home, make sure your gutters remain clear throughout autumn. Debris such as fallen leaves, seeds, and dust can accumulate on your gutters and block the guttering system. This, in turn, will prevent the rainwater from flowing freely.

In addition, by making sure your gutters are clean, you effectively decrease the chances of mould growth and pest infestations. If you want to do this chore, make sure you observe important safety cleaning precautions. You can also make sure you thoroughly clean your gutters by flushing it using a garden hose after removing all the debris and gunk. This is also a good way for you spot leaks on your gutters.

Conduct an inspection and repairs, where needed.

While cleaning the gutters, check for leaks, loose brackets and screws, uneven sections, and any form of excessive wear and tear. If there are loose brackets and screws, buy new ones, replace the old ones, and secure them where needed. If you discovered leaks, determine if it is possible to patch them. If yes, apply plastic roofing cement over the holes. If the holes are too big, apply a strip of aluminium flashing to the area and seal the edges with cement.

Invest in a gutter guard.

If you want to make sure that leaves and debris don’t accumulate on your gutter, and to save yourself the effort of regularly cleaning it, consider investing in a gutter guard system. This completely seals open gutters to reduce or prevent the autumn debris build-up on your roof which can cause permanent damage. With the right gutter guard screening system, debris can just slide or blow off the roof; in most cases, you will have a maintenance-free gutter.

Protect your gutter from pests.

Finally, aside from falling leaves and rainfall, autumn is also the time that pushes pests to start invading roofs and gutters. Rodents and birds are the number one culprits. Residents in NSW, for instance, constantly wage war against sparrows since they love nesting in gutters, causing this system to become blocked. You can avoid this problem by using a humane pest repellent product. Alternatively, if you decide to invest in a gutter guard, choose one that can effectively keep out both creeping and flying vermin, too.

There is nothing easy about preparing your gutter for the autumn season. If this appears to be too much work for you, then you can certainly consider getting help from professional contractors.

Why You Need to Call the Pros – Dangers of DIY Gutter Cleaning

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Call the Pros – Jim’s Mowing New Zealand on 0800 454 654 or book online.

Gutter cleaning is one of the most important tasks included in roof maintenance. Keeping those gutters free from dust build-up and other debris can do so much in preserving the structural and functional aspects of your roof. It also helps to prevent interior damage to your home and reducing the potential for pest infestation. Needless to say, gutter cleaning is truly a must.

You can take care of this vital task yourself, but experts strongly recommend hiring the pros for the job.

dangerous gutter cleaningdangers of DIY gutter cleaning

Why? They claim that it would be a more advantageous arrangement. Plus, there are the dangers of DIY gutter cleaning that you have to consider. It may seem like a simple task, but a lot of DIY-ers actually get overwhelmed by how challenging it is. Accidents can happen, especially if you don’t have a complete set of equipment. You will need a harness to secure you as you navigate your roof to get to your gutters. If you have a big house and you have steeply slanted roofs, for sure, you won’t easily be able to reach your gutters and clean them thoroughly. Plus, it’s not just equipment that you will need to ensure the safe and proper execution of the task; you will need skills as well.

On the other hand, professional roof cleaners know the structural make-up of the roofing system and can thus strategically navigate it so that cleaning those gutters can be done safely and thoroughly. It’s also worth mentioning that most of them developed physical skills to be able to clean gutters no matter how high they may be.

Another danger that can come with DIY gutter cleaning efforts is that if you don’t have the sufficient know-how for going about the task, you may actually end up damaging your gutters. So, from just needing a clean-up (which is a simpler and more affordable service), you may end up needing repair or replacement instead.

Meanwhile, the pros have an established system of performing the task; you can be sure that no matter how thorough they are with cleaning, your roof and your gutters will not sustain any damage. Plus, they will even provide you the advantage of inspecting your gutters for issues. As they clean the gutters, they will also keep an eye out for signs of wear and tear, corrosion, holes, loose attachments, et cetera. Therefore, before these flaws become even bigger problems to address, they’ll inform you about their presence, their impact on the whole structure, and what actually needs to be done about them.

While you may be able to save some money by taking the DIY route, gutter cleaning is not as easy as it seems. So, if you want the task done right, it’s best to leave the task up to highly experienced professionals who’ll do a fast and fine job of it.

Call Jim’s Mowing New Zealand on 0800 454 654 or book online.

The Importance Of Regular Gutter Cleaning

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Gutters are vital roofing components; they direct water away from the house in order to effectively preserve the non-waterproof elements of the structure. However, a lot of homeowners are guilty of neglecting proper maintenance of their gutters. They allow dirt and other debris to build up in them and block the pathway of rainwater caught by the roof.

clogged gutter

blocked gutter

Blocked gutters are big no-nos if you wish to preserve your home well because they often lead to internal and external damage to the structure. But this isn’t the only reason why you should regularly clean your gutters; according to roofing experts, they also always stress the importance of regular gutter cleaning in avoiding unnecessary expenses.

damage from clogged gutters

clogged gutter cracks

The cost of roofing repair is no joke; at times, repairing the water damage caused by blocked gutters is not covered by insurance. In addition to this, the extent of damage created by blocked gutters may require you to make unscheduled purchases for replacement appliances or fixtures like doors and windows. You can avoid all this by simply having your gutters checked and cleared regularly.

It’s important to mention as well that regular gutter cleaning is instrumental in making your home a safe sanctuary for the family. You can prevent the proliferation of moulds in your house by effectively directing water away from it and keeping vulnerable structural components as dry as possible even during the wet months. Moulds are health hazards (they can cause skin irritations and respiratory issues) and they thrive in wet or moist places.

muddy gutters

mouldy clogged gutters

 

Proper cleaning and maintenance of gutters can also contribute to the prevention of pest infestation inside your home. By clearing them of build-up that tends to attract everything from pesky flies and ants, to rodents, you automatically lower the likelihood of unwanted living creatures making their way into your home. Also, if gutters work effectively in coursing water away from the house, the wood and paper components of the structure will be kept dry, making them less attractive to cockroaches, termites and other moisture-loving pests.

There are still so many other reasons that emphasise the importance of gutter cleaning, but the ones provided here are enough to fully establish why every homeowner should never forgo this maintenance task.

All in all, if you don’t want to deal with all sorts of issues with your home, be consistent with gutter cleaning — it’s an easy task to perform, but it contributes so much to making your home the truly comfortable and safe sanctuary that it’s supposed to be.

If you need help with cleaning your gutters, the professional and friendly staff at Jim’s Mowing are eager to help, you can call them on 0800 454 654 for a free no obligation quote or simply Book Online!

Cleaning Your Gutters

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In the last 10 years Melbourne has had 7 major storms, 2 of which were referred to as freak storms and the remaining 5 severe storms resulting flash flooding, large hail, extremely heavy rainfall, thunderstorms and even reports of tornadoes, all causing widespread damage.   These events  have not been isolated to just Victoria.  Queensland, New South Wales and Western Australia have really suffered with cyclones and floods in recent months.  Prevent water damage by ensuring your gutters are cleaned regularly.

Prevention is the Key

Prevention and maintenance can abolish most common causes of clogged and overflowing gutters. Consistent cleaning, as well as regular trimming of trees that overhang your gutters and roof are critical. Lastly, gutter guards are a valuable investment in densely-treed areas.

Gutter cleaning is imperative as part of home maintenance. If you do not keep your gutters clean, they will soon pile up with leaves and other debris that will not permit water to appropriately drain from your roof. This can lead to many problems, like rotting wood, sagging gutters, pest infestations, and much more. That’s why it’s a good idea to clean out your gutters a minimum of twice a year.

There could be any number of reasons why your gutters are overflowing. Here are our resolutions for solving this common household problem.

clogged-guttersBlockages

They may be blocked, it could be a problem with the slope to the downpipe, the downpipe itself might be clogged or in the case of older and recently-renovated properties the roof drainage system may not be up to the job at hand any more.water_damage

Water Damage

The water may have already caused some damage by the time you notice you have a problem, especially if it has flooded under the roof, so the first thing to do when you notice a congested gutter is to check the roof and ceilings nearby for any water damage. This can be costly and difficult to repair if it travels too far. However, the good news is if the water has not entered the roof, you can fix your overflowing gutters quickly and easily.

Downpipes

An overworked roof drainage system commonly caused by an inadequate number of downpipes for the roof size can be amended by adding more downpipes. You might want to consult a professional if you have to go down this road, as they will assist you in calculating important factors such as slope, load and positioning.

If your downpipe seems to be blocked or clogged, you may be able to clear the blockage using a high-pressure washer or by dismantling part of the pipe and retrieving the blockage that way.

If the angle of your gutters to the downpipes is not steep enough to allow the water to move freely then you will need to reposition them higher at the end furthest away.

blocked downpipe

Cleaning Your Gutters

Gutter Guards

Gutter guards are basically caps that go over your gutters to minimise debris clogging. There are slight slits in the guards that let water pass through so you can still direct the water where you want it to go. The caps will stop leaves, nuts, branches, and other nuisances from piling up in your guttering. This will minimise the work you have to do later on. If you have a rather new guttering or you plan on installing new gutters in the future, go the extra mile and get some gutter guards for your home.

Power Wash Your Gutters

If your gutters are still in good shape structurally, you should be able to power wash them for cleaning. This will involve you to getting a generator that converts your garden hose into a high-pressure water system, also known as a gurney. Power washing will save you from having to pull out debris by hand, but it is not wise to try on older gutters that are weak and bent. The pressure from the water may cause the gutters to fall if they are not fortified well.

If you choose to power wash your gutters, circumvent forcing all of the debris down the downpipe. As an alternative, try to push it over the edge of the gutters and onto the grass for you to rake up later. This may seem like more work, but a cluttered downpipe can be a giant headache to mess with. Try to avoid that if possible.

Pull out Debris by Hand

If power washing is not an possibility or you have too much clutter in your gutters to efficiently power wash, you will need to pull out the debris by hand. It would be sensible to wear thick work gloves or rubber gloves when you do this in case there are sharp objects or harmful insects in your gutters. Put all of the debris you pull out into a green waste bin so you do not have to clean it up from the ground.

Rinse the Gutters with a Hose

Once the bulk of the debris is out of your gutters, you should be able to wash it out with a hose. Watch how the water flows once you put it in there and make sure it comes out of the downpipe. If not, you may have to use a small brush on a wire to push out whatever may be clogging the system.

Rinsing your gutters will also let you see if there are any areas where the water may pool up rather than drain. If you see that, you may want to replace that section of your guttering because it will cause problems later on.

And of course, not everyone wants to clean their own gutters – it can be very dangerous and we all know someone who has taken a nasty fall off a ladder, with nasty consequences.  Don’t hesitate to call Jim’s Mowing on 0800 454 654 or book online and we’ll happily clean the gutters for you!