Nobody enjoys cleaning gutters, but unfortunately it's a job that needs to be done. Depending on the area you live in, your gutters may require cleaning once a year or up to three times a year. Cleaning your gutters of debris and leaves from those overhanging branches can double the lifespan of your guttering, saving you money and protecting your home from an insect invasion and fire.
If you've been putting this important job off, here are three signs that it should move immediately to the top of your to do list.
1. Trees are growing out of them.
Of course they're not actually trees; they're weeds, but sometimes when you get home from work and look up they might as well be trees. Growing lusciously green and tall from your gutters and showing you up in front of your neighbours.
All the debris and decomposing matter that builds up in your gutters, along with the nice warm and moist conditions that comes from so many layers of such stuff is a perfect place for plants to grow. Not only can it make your house look untidy and unloved, but also the growing plants can damage your guttering either through being so heavy your guttering bends or by the roots pushing through the gutters as they grow.
2. Something's moved in.
It's not only plants that like a nice warm, dark home. Lots of mammals and birds do, too. Your guttering is often a sheltered space and so high that it offers great protection from predators. Depending on where you live, you may find birds, squirrels, mice or rats nesting in your gutters. These animals can cause blockages in the guttering, break the gutters through their burrowing or weight, and discover a way into your home. If you do have new neighbours, consider getting an expert in to safely and humanely remove them so they can move on and build a new home elsewhere.
3. Inside your home is beginning to look less water tight.
It's not like water is trickling down your walls, but you have noticed a damp spot where the wall meets the ceiling. Maybe even with a little bit of mould growing on it. An ignored damp spot doesn't simply disappear; you need to find the cause and fix it before that damp does serious damage to your home. If the damp spot is breeding mould, spores can enter your body as you breath, causing all sorts of nasty infections and respiratory problems, especially in young children and the elderly. The water seeping into your home from cracked or heavy laden guttering may also weaken the brickwork, and it will devalue your home.
For more information, contact a business such as PLMGN Maintenance Services Gutter Cleaning.
Share23 January 2015
Hello. My name is Dean and this is my home and garden blog. Last year, I decided I needed to improve the look of my home. I visited several home and garden centres and various different shops but I just couldn't find the items I wanted. I had this dream of creating a really cool and funky look based on an African design I had seen. My friend suggested that I customise the items to create the look I wanted and began to give me some lessons. I really enjoyed the process and I learnt a lot about how to improve your home and garden.