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The 3 Most Common Causes of Clogged Gutters

As a homeowner, it’s important that you can rely on your gutters to work efficiently. If your gutters fail to do their job, you can end up with damage to your roof, your property could flood and structural issues could occur within your home. In order to avoid having to deal with expensive repairs, it’s crucial that you carry out regular maintenance of your gutter system to keep it free of leaves, dirt and other debris.

However, in order to keep water flowing freely through your gutters/continuous spouting, it is important to understand what causes clogged gutters in the first place.

Let’s take a look at three of the most common causes of clogged gutters and what you can do to prevent them.

1. Poor Gutter Installation or Design

A poorly designed gutter or continuous spouting system will result in poor drainage, which will ultimately lead to them becoming clogged. If your gutter installation is not designed to efficiently deal with the amount of rainwater flowing off your roof, then your gutters will become backed up and overflow.

Your gutter system needs to be installed correctly with the right size gutters and downpipes to handle the volume of water that flows into them.

When gutters and downpipes are installed incorrectly, the water backs up allowing leaves, twigs, dirt and other debris to get stuck in your gutters causing them to become clogged. To avoid this from happening, be sure to hire an experienced and reputable gutter company to ensure proper gutter installation for your home’s particular design.

2. Proximity to Trees

Having trees in your garden will certainly add to the overall aesthetic of your property, they provide shade in the summer and give you privacy from prying eyes. However, during the autumn months and in heavy winds, leaves and twigs will inevitably find their way onto your roof and cause gutters to clog. If left unattended, this debris can become compacted over time, which can lead to mould developing. This environment may also encourage birds and pests to nest in your gutters.

The additional weight from the buildup of leaves and twigs can eventually cause your gutters to sag, which can result in expensive repairs or if bad enough, a full gutter replacement.

The best way to deal with this issue is to trim back any trees that are in close proximity to your home. During autumn or after very heavy winds, you should also inspect your gutters to be sure they are not clogged.

3. Lack of Maintenance

Over time, different types of debris will find its way into your gutters. This is inevitable and is almost impossible to avoid completely. However, as with any other part of your home, it’s important that you take the time to carry out regular cleaning and maintenance of your gutters so that they continue to work efficiently.

Most homeowners should aim to clean their gutters at least twice a year, once towards the end of spring and a second time at the beginning of autumn. Keep in mind that if you live in an area with a lot of trees (particularly pine trees) you should inspect your gutters approximately every three months.

Keep Your Gutters Clear

Keeping your gutter free of debris is important in extending the life of your rainwater system and ensuring that your gutters work as they are intended to. Clogged gutters can lead to your gutters sagging and having to be replaced or repaired over time.

If your gutters or continuous spouting are not kept clear, the results for your home can be disastrous and end up causing a lot of damage to your home and your property. Keep your gutters clear, avoid clogging and save yourself a lot of unnecessary expense and hassle down the line.

Summary:
How to Prevent Clogged Gutters

  • Proper Gutter Installation

    Ensure the design and installation of your gutters/spouting and downpipes/downspouts are completed by a professional who understands the design of your roof and the local weather requirements.

  • Consider How Many Trees are Near your Roof

    If you have many trees in proximity to your roof, especially pine trees, you will need to increase how often you inspect your gutters to ensure twigs and leaves are not building up. We suggest every three months if you have many trees nearby.

  • Lack of Regular Maintenance

    Most homeowners should aim to clean their gutters at least twice a year, once towards the end of spring and a second time at the beginning of autumn. Not cleaning your gutters regularly can have expensive consequences.

Got questions about clogged gutters?

Please contact us and one of our friendly and knowledgeable staff will be happy to answer any questions you may have.

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