Bens Gutters - Why clean your gutters

What are the hidden dangers to your bank account if you don't clean the gutters around your house. People often don't realise just how much damage can be caused by neglecting to clean the gutter system round your roof. Can be thousands of pounds worth of damage for the sake of spending less than £100. As a painter and decorator I visited two jobs recently both which had problems caused by water damage due to poor gutter maintenance. In one particular office all four floors were affected and without looking at any plaster and ceiling repairs needed the cost of redecoration alone ran into many hundreds of pounds. An expensive lesson for someone to learn. Moral of the story is "keep the gutters flowing freely."

When Ben's Gutters can do it for you.

Here is the purpose and importance of a well functioning gutter system:

The gutter system around your house is really only useful when it rains. In the UK as we all know it never rains so gutters are practically useless apart from preventing the left-over scraps the seagulls leave on your roof from rolling down and falling on your head.

OK joking aside, there is a more serious side to it and I'm about to list a few things here that maybe will give you the idea that it's something that should be done regularly.

The gutters are there primarily to stop rain water which lands on the roof running down the sides of your house and forming small rivers that can eat into foundations and cause massive damage over time. If it was allowed to run down the walls it could easily find it's way into the stone or brickwork and weaken the mortar that bonds the wall together. It could also lead to wet rot in the woodwork round windows etc and the resultant mold and fungus growth can spread through the building causing some major problems through time.

Any wooden fascias could be also be subjected to rot and even if it's just the paint peeling off could cost quite a bit to repair. Any water that finds it's way into the building can cause significant problems such as cracked ceilings, rotten joists, etc and the no less annoying staining of paintwork and loose wallpaper which may need to be redone.

The roof area captures and channels the water and the resulting deluge can ruin garden plants or flower beds even lead to erosion of the lawn. So without gutters the possibility of damage round the house is much greater.

In the winter time when the weather is extremely cold, icicles can form on the roof edges and be a potential danger to anyone walking underneath. They can also damage the slates or roof tiles.

Areas such as doorways etc would get pretty wet during the rain and make it uncomfortable to walk in and out. The rain running down the walls would also carry mud and moss from the roof and leave unsightly streaks everywhere especially on whitewashed surfaces causing you to have to paint the walls more frequently. Between you and me though I would quite like that, being a painter and decorator, I would get more work.

So all things considered it is probably better to have them cleaned at least once a year.

What are the benefits of hiring a professional to do the job?

1) You get the job done when you want to.

2) You know if there are problems they will get handled by experience.

3) You won't be tempted to put off doing it and regret it later.

4) You will save yourself a bunch of time and depending on your own earnings rate at work could work out cheaper.

5) The cost of hiring a company such as Ben's Gutters can work out cheaper as they get the job done quicker.

6) You won't have to get your hands dirty with the sticky mess that you sometimes find in the gutters.

7) You can stay safe. Climbing long ladders is not for the faint-hearted and the professionals at Ben's Gutters have a lot of experience and are trained for working at heights.

8) It can be a tiring job and you get to save your energy for something more enjoyable.

The wrong way to get of a roof with a ladder.

Leaf guards fitted on downpipes etc sound like a great idea but when you don't clean them regularly then this can cause a build up of water which can then be a problem. So the thing to do is have your gutters cleaned regularly and especially autumn time when the leaf problem is greatest. Ben's Gutters in London can give you more advice on this and are very helpful and friendly.

We want to hear your stories about problems created by blocked gutters downpipes etc. Every month one published story will be judged as the "best" and the lucky sender will receive a mystery gift. Pictures or videos will be appreciated. So get sending.