Gutters are an essential part of the roofing even if most people do not understand their importance. They are helpful in protecting your home. However, you will find many people who do not know the importance of maintaining the gutter. Failure to maintain the gutter can lead to numerous issues and problems to the house owners. This can also result in costly repairs. Maintaining the gutter can greatly help you in warding off these problems.
Functions of gutters
Most of the homeowners have set up simple gutters in their homes.They a mainly made from metal tubes which have an open end. Gutters are helpful in catching the rainwater running off your roof. It then directs or guides this water down to the drainage e spot located on the ground. This water is conveyed to the drainage spot by use of rainwater drop pipes (RWDP). In general, gutters are used for preventing rainwater from running down your house thereby keeping it from collecting at the base of your house. In addition to that, this system is helpful in preventing problems in the foundation as well as maintaining the life of the roof and the home’s exterior.
Maintenance of the gutters
Gutters are prone to occasional problems. Proper maintenance can prevent some of these problems. The following are some of the gutter issues that you can handle.
Pulling of gutters from the house
This problem is common in areas experiencing heavy precipitation and other factors that make your gutters lose. Such gutters should be screwed back into their original place.
Holes in gutters
Just like with the other building materials, gutters are prone to wearing out after some time. Wearing out can lead to the development of holes within the gutters. Such pieces of gutters should be replaced with new ones if the others are still in good shape.
Gutters filled with debris and leaves
This happens when debris and leaves find their way into the gutters along with water. This problem is cured by simply cleaning out the gutters. This can be done by hand or by pulling out the debris. Any gutter that is filled with debris and other materials can nit guide and catch water properly. Cleaning out of gutters should be done even where gutter guards have been installed
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Routine maintenance
These are the maintenance practices done throughout the year to ensure that your gutters are functioning efficiently. For instance, you can check your gutters during winter and make the necessary repairs.
