How to Determine the Need for Replacement: Guttering, Facias and Down Pipes
Signs That May Show Need of Replacement
When was the last time you thought to look at the condition of your exterior fittings around your property? Have you even given a thought as to whether or not your gutters or facias require replacement? If you’re not sure, this article was made for you! Within this 5 minute guide, we’ll discuss the tell tale signs to look out for and where to turn should you need assistance.
1. Drooping Gutters
If your gutters are still pushing away from your facias or appear to be bowing, this could be a key indicator that maintenance is required. Whilst it may not, in itself be necessary to replace the entirety of the fixture, this is all be dependant on the sizing of the gutters as well as the support provided from the gutter hangers. These could either be spaced too far apart, be missing or begin to loosen over time.
Another common cause is a build up of debris (e.g. mud and leaves). This accumulation can be very heavy and weigh down your gutters. This can be rectified by having your gutters professionally cleaned and it therefore there may not be an immediate need for new guttering.
In either case, it’s important to have these inspected to eliminate the risk of the problem progressing, which in the worst instance, would lead to loss or damage of your guttering over a long period of time.
2. Splits and Cracks
It could be argued that plastic is an inferior building material. Splits and cracks can start to form in plastic and this should not be ignored. Common sense would suggest that these could in fact become bigger overtime, especially during colder spells when accumulating water forms ice within the gaps. Eventually, your guttering will begin to expand and long term, could cause large breaks.
3. Peeling Paint
Steel based guttering is usually coated with specific paint - applied to reduce the possibility of water penetration. Should this start to flake or peel, it’s likely that water will begin to seep through, causing irreversible damage. If you’re unsure, look for signs of rust and decay, this acts as a prompt for you to take action sooner rather than later!
4. Overflowing Water
Water spilling from your gutter is an obvious sign of required maintenance. It indicates that either they’re in need of a good clean or that it's time to get these replaced.
Either this or they’ve been installed incorrectly or are angled in such a way that makes their intended purpose redundant. In any instance, don’t leave this for too long, or you may find water seeping into your walls and gaps between windows and door frames!
5. Foundation Issues
Moisture is the enemy. If your gutters are damaged, you may find that your property’s foundation will begin to suffer, through (once again) the absorption of water. This in turn may cause cracks and shifting to occur. Now you're in trouble! Such problems can be costly, and as such should be tackled before you incur larger fees on avoidable, cost-effective methods - i.e. Gutter maintenance.
If you would like to discuss how Just Perfect Property Maintenance could help with Gutter and Facia installation or for any other enquiries, get in touch today. Simply send us an email: info@jp-propertymaintenance.co.uk or call our landline on 01953 542 313.
