Blocked gutters are more than just an inconvenience which require you to scale a ladder and clean them – they can cause serious problems leading to issues including fire, flooding and pest infestations.
It is all too easy for leaves, twigs and other materials to become stuck in guttering. When they do, rainwater becomes trapped.
The entire guttering system is then rendered pointless, has to deal with the stresses caused by increased weight and can even become a haven for living organisms.
Here are seven problems caused by block gutters – and how you can avoid them.
Blocked gutters and water damage
The most obvious place to start when looking at the problems caused by blocked gutters is water damage. If rainwater cannot escape through downpipes and drains, it has to go somewhere else.
Significant blockages left to build up over time will eventually lead to so much water being trapped that it overflows.
If it spills onto the ground, it can lead to soil erosion and cause buildings to become unstable. The run-off can carve trenches through gardens and cause basements or cellars to flood.
Rainwater overflowing from gutters and pooling on other sections of roof is equally problematic. Mildew and mould will start to grow, posing a potential health hazard to those living and working inside the building.
Corrosion and rust
Another danger posed by trapped water is corrosion. When water is pressurised or moving through a pipe, there is less chance of corrosion happening because the required chemical reaction.
Not so when water pools against metalwork. Reducing the chances of corrosion occurring will extend the lifespan of a gutter system it make it less likely that leaks will develop through weakened sections.
Cracked guttering during freezing temperatures
Winter brings with it even bigger problems when water becomes trapped in blocked gutters. Forget overspill and start thinking about what happens when water is subjected to plummeting temperatures.
The answer is it freezes and expands. Any transformation from fluid water into an expanding solid mass of ice exerts significant stress and pressure on guttering, to the point where it cracks.
It is not just lightweight gutter materials like plastic which are plagued by freezing temperatures. Ice can crack copper and even older cast iron pipes, leading to cast iron downpipe repair or replacement being required.
The threat posed by freezing temperatures is why it is particularly important to clean gutters thoroughly before winter arrives.
Sagging and damage to gutter brackets
Any build up of debris inside a gutter adds weight. So too does trapped water. Which is bad news for the entire guttering system.
Gutters are installed with a slight fall, encouraging water to run down towards the point it reaches a downpipe or is discharged into a drain.
The integrity of the gutter depends on this. Without the fall, water is more likely to pool and lead to some of the problems already listed.
If blockages become heavy enough to sag the gutter, pull it away from the wall of the building or damage the brackets, the required fall becomes impacted.
It is worth remembering this if ever carrying out DIY repairs to guttering which has come loose. Always use a spirit level to ensure gutter pipes you are fixing or re-attaching to a building have the required fall to take water away.
Growths inside guttering
Blocked gutters are the perfect environment for all kinds of plants, germs and mould to grow. Hence why you see moss so frequently inside uncleared guttering.
There is water, air, light and often warmth. Depending on what debris are blocking a gutter, it can even offer the right type of soil and nutrients.
Common growths found in guttering include mildew, bacteria and in cases where seeds form part of the blockage, actual plants.
Removing leaves and twigs from gutters is a pretty unenjoyable task by itself. Imagine having to clear something resembling an entry to the Chelsea Flower Show caused by ignoring previous blockages.
Pest infestations
Conditions within a blocked gutter are not only good enough for plant life to flourish – they can support animal life too.
Mice, squirrels, bats and birds will all happily build nests in guttering. Spiders might spin webs and lay eggs and any trapped water represents a haven to mosquitos.
A pest infestation so close to a building brings significant risk of the animal in question finding its way inside – particularly when house mice are involved.
The presence of pests will also contribute to other problems, most notably increased weight and the issues caused by sagging and pulling.
Fire
Dry leaves, pine needles and other types of flammable plants caught in guttering can pose a significant fire hazard in hot climates and areas prone to wildfires.
Embers picked up and carried by the wind can land in guttering and set such debris ablaze. You only have to read the horror stories of recent Australian bushfires to see the catastrophic damage such incidents can cause.
Wildfires might not be something the United Kingdom needs to worry about at the moment. But with summers undoubtedly getting hotter and climate change not going away anytime soon, it is not beyond the realms of possibility that fire caused by blocked gutters is another concern for us in the UK in the not-too-distant future.
How to avoid blocked gutters
If those seven potential problems caused by blocked gutters sound scary, the good news is that avoiding them is pretty straightforward.
The obvious answer is regular gutter cleaning and maintenance. Remove debris, keep rainwater flowing into your drains and unless you are very unlucky, you will never have to worry about mice or fire. Which sounds like a cocktail bar in the West End.
A more convenient solution would be to install gutter guards to protect your guttering from blockages. Gutter guards work by allowing water to entering the gutter but keeping debris out. There are several different types of gutter guards available to suit different cost and building requirements.
Whilst gutter guards do still require maintenance, they significantly reduce the amount of time needed up a ladder or dealing with blockages.
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