We all realise that the roof of a house plays an extremely important part in keeping the elements out and maintaining the interior in a dry condition. Many people consider the guttering to be of secondary importance but in this article we explain why clean, well maintained and functional guttering and drainage is equally important.
What Does Guttering Do?
Rain water hitting your roof is directed downwards and the guttering is normally a semi-circular run that sits under your roof to collect rainwater and direct it to a drainage pipe that takes the water safely away from your house
Without guttering, the water would fall from your roof and gather near the foundations of your house and over time, begin to destabilize the foundations and cause moisture ingress and rising damp problems that also affect the structure.
Guttering Maintenance
Checking that guttering is in good condition, clean and free from leaves or anything else that might stop the water flow and cause it to splash over the edge onto the walls of your house, is something that should be done on at least an annual basis. If you have tall trees around your house that might shed leaves into your guttering during the autumn leaf fall, you should be particularly vigilant.
Best Guttering Materials
Without a doubt, although probably the most expensive, cast iron guttering systems are the most stylish and weather resistant form. Completely natural and recyclable, cast iron gutters have minimal environmental impact, are long lasting, and require very little in the way of maintenance.
The cheaper option which is some form of plastic guttering is produced in styles and shapes that can look stylish but are much shorter lived. UV rays, ladders, heavy snow and temperature extremes can all serve to limit the lifespan of a plastic guttering system
Best Practice for Drainage
Having used guttering to collect the rainwater coming off the roof of your house you need to make sure that the water is deposited far enough away from your house that it is never going to negatively impact the structure or foundations. It is recommended that when considering drainage systems for your house, you make sure that the water is deposited at least 3 metres away.
Some people will run their drainpipes into some form of water collection and recycling container like a water butt. This is an excellent way of not only ensuring that you are not going to suffer water damage to your home, but that you are also doing something to contribute towards water conservation.
Making sure that you have at least a 2% gradient sloping away from your house outside will also help to ensure that rainwater does not begin to seep into the foundations and walls and start to cause problems in the long-term
Getting the Right Guttering and Drainage Professional
As we have demonstrated, getting the guttering and drainage right is a very important aspect of maintaining a home in good condition and something that should be done right. Normally an aspect of the roofing function, it is not something normally undertaken by he DIY enthusiast. It is recommended that people find a professional roofing and guttering contractor.
Sites like Why Not Compare give you access to a database of roofing and guttering experts in your local area. All you have to do is register for free on the site and then place a free advertisement that details your guttering project. All contractors are checked and pre-approved which means that you can select with confidence from the list of skilled tradespeople that express an interest in working with you.
