When it comes to looking after your gutters, many people don’t know where to start. The most common queries around gutters are how much they need maintaining and at what point the gutters will need to be repaired or replaced.
Gutters can last up to 50 years in some cases if they’re made from a durable material and are given the right amount of care. However, any gutters can be subject to issues so it’s important to know what to look out for.
Why are gutters so important?
Gutters are an essential part of keeping your building dry by providing rainwater with an effective drainage path away from the walls or foundations. Avoiding and addressing issues like cracks, sloping or rust allows you to prevent further problems like damp or mould caused by water seeping into the building’s structure.
When do gutters need to be repaired?
Gutters can require repairs for a number of issues. The most common reasons are cracks in the material that the gutters are made from, holes caused by rust or leaks caused by gaps in the joints. The latter can happen when uPVC expands due to temperature and pops parts of the joints out of place.
However, it can be hard to determine whether your gutter will need any repairs by yourself. You should check your gutters by looking at them when they’re dry and when it’s raining to try and spot any signs of damage in all conditions. However, hiring a professional is the best way to get a thorough inspection carried out safely.
When do gutters need to be replaced?
There’s only so much repair that gutters can go through before it becomes necessary to replace them. Even with the correct amount of maintenance and thorough cleaning of debris and blockages, no gutters will last forever.
If small cracks continue to reoccur, there’s clearly an underlying problem. That could simply be the age of your gutters, with the material weakening over time. Alternatively, you might have found larger breaks in the guttering that simply can’t be repaired.
Another issue that warrants replacement is when your gutters have been installed incorrectly to begin with. That can place stressed on the seams and repeatedly cause them to separate. At this point, it may be easier to replace the system with seamless gutters than trying to keep fixing them.
The right solution for your gutters
The best way to determine the severity of an issue and the right course of action is with a professional inspection. The team at DPR Roofing has worked with gutters across Huddersfield for over 30 years, so it’s fair to say we know what we’re dealing with.
Our roofing experts will let you know exactly what’s wrong with your gutters and provide a free no-obligation quote to put it right.