Moss from the roof, fallen leaves and other debris can easily build up in your gutters over time. While it’s easy to ignore your gutters entirely – out of sight, out of mind, after all – letting them become clogged can cause costly problems in the long term.
The main purpose of your gutters is to direct rain away from your house, but if they become clogged, they can’t do this effectively. This means the water can overflow, run down the walls and, over time, lead to damp and black mould.
With that said, Charlie McNeill, Managing Director at Rainclear, shares why clearing your gutter is so important, followed by five simple ways to prevent your gutters from clogging for good:
What are the dangers of clogged gutters?
One of the biggest – and most expensive – consequences of blocked gutters is structural damage to the foundation of your home. If your gutters fail, water can spill down the side of your house and pool around the foundation.
Over time, this could weaken the structure of your house and, in serious cases, could even lead to subsidence (where the foundations of your property begin to sink into the ground).
Dealing with subsidence is expensive, with the average cost sitting around £12,500 – but depending on the severity, it can often cost a lot more. Subsidence can also impact the future value of your home and make it more costly to secure home insurance.
Overflowing gutters can also lead to damp and mould inside your roof or on walls and ceilings, which could set you back around £300 to remove. Worse still, mould within the home can lead to serious health problems if left untreated.
This includes nasal congestion, sneezing, red eyes and uncomfortable skin rashes. In serious cases, it can lead to severe respiratory infections and worsened asthma, especially in children and those who are sensitive to the allergens that moulds produce.
How to prevent clogged gutters
- Prioritise regular maintenance
Your gutters might be the last thing on your to-do list, but for them to work effectively, regular maintenance is key.
To do this, you’d need to safely climb a ladder and use a gutter scoop or hand trowel to clear the gutters of leaves, gunk and debris. Once you’ve cleared out the dirt, it can be helpful to use a spray hose (working from the end of the guttering towards the outlet) to give the gutters a good rinse.
Ideally, this should be done at least twice a year – but if you have lots of trees around your house, you might need to do it more regularly. Early winter, in particular, is a great time to clean your gutters, as they’re likely to have become clogged with leaves after autumn.
- Trim down trees
If your house is surrounded by trees, it means your gutters are likely to become clogged more frequently, as falling leaves can easily get caught in them.
A simple way to minimise the need for extra gutter cleaning is to trim the trees down as regularly as you can – especially those that hang over your gutters.
But if at all possible, it’s best to keep your gutter at least 10 m away from any overhanging branches.
- Install gutter guards
While it’s still important to check your gutters regularly, installing gutter guards is a great way to stop leaves from getting into your gutters and causing major blockages.
Gutter guards sit inside your gutters to keep leaves, moss and twigs out of your gutters, whilst letting water pass through. They come in a range of different shapes and sizes, so make sure to purchase one that’s suitable for your specific gutter. Hedgehog gutter guards are particularly easy to fit.
Bear in mind that you’ll still need to clean your gutters regularly, as most gutter guards can’t prevent smaller debris from slipping through – but they should make the job much easier.
You could also install an access pipe piece, which allows you to easily get a rod into the downpipe if debris has been washed down the outlet.
- Maintain your roof
When it comes to maintaining your gutters, your roof has a part to play too. Debris from an unmaintained roof – think moss, leaves, twigs and even roofing materials – can easily fall into the gutters and contribute to blockages.
Your gutters and your roof work together. A well-maintained roof allows water to channel into your gutters, while clear and unclogged gutters effectively channel water away from your roof and property in general.
Thankfully, cleaning out your gutters is also a great opportunity to check for any damage to your roof. If you spot any signs of damage or wear and tear, address the problem as quickly as you can.
- Hire a professional
Cleaning your gutter and inspecting your roof isn’t the easiest of jobs. If you’re not able to climb a ladder yourself or have safety concerns about doing so, you could always hire a handyman, cleaning company or a professional roofing/gutter company to do the job for you once or twice a year.
It might seem like a burden in terms of costs, but the consequences of not keeping your gutters well-maintained could cost you significantly more down the line.
