You’ve likely heard of gutter guards before and if you haven’t, they are essentially a specialised covering that is secured over your existing guttering to prevent leaves and debris from collecting in them. Should you have them? We think they are a great investment and here are 5 reasons why.
Less maintenance
One of the more undesirable chores of home maintenance is clearing out the gutters. It is not only messy, but it can be dangerous too. Often, clearing out the gutters requires you to work at a height, and if you’re like most people, you don’t have the correct safety equipment to complete the job safely. While it can be easy to assume that you’ll be fine and the chances of anything happening are slim, however, accidents do happen even to the most careful of people. Gutter guards can eliminate this chore altogether. Rather than having to manually clean them out every six months, you just simply have to check on them every so often to make sure they are in good condition. This takes a matter of minutes rather than hours and tonnes of mess.
They can save you money
Aside from the initial cost to install them, gutter guards can save you a lot of money down the track. If your gutter cleans are few and far between, debris such as sticks and leaves can clog up your gutters and cause premature wear and damage. It’s not uncommon for unkempt gutters to get holes in them or to pull away from the fixing. When the gutters are too full of debris, water cannot drain away as it should. This can cause water to pool in the gutter and spill over onto the house. Water can cause significant damage to a home which can cause health issues, and it can also be very expensive to fix. If you hire a professional gutter cleaner to take care of your gutter cleaning, this can save you a substantial amount of money long-term.
Potentially add value to your home
Most people are all about making their lives easier, and having gutter guards in place can potentially add to the overall appeal of your home and in turn, add value. It shows prospective buyers that you invested in the home by implementing preventative measures to keep it in good condition. While it may be a little thing to some, the little things add up and having damaged and inadequate guttering can be off-putting as it can make them question how well the house is looked after. They may also be concerned about the negative effects the inferior guttering has had on the overall condition of the property. Having weeds growing out of your gutters or birds nests built in them can detract from the value of your home. Ensure your guttering and downpipes are in good working order to protect your biggest asset – your home.
Keep your house safe during bushfire season
The unfortunate reality is here in Australia, we tend to have bushfires every year, especially when the weather is dry and warm. You can never have absolute peace of mind that your area will not be affected at one point or another. There are many steps you can take to protect your home during bushfire season, one of them is installing gutter guards. It’s common for homes to fall victim to bushfires from having gutters full of fire fuel such as dry leaves and sticks. Embers can blow in the wind some distance and fall onto the gutters causing them to go up in flames, it doesn’t take long for that isolated area of the fire to become widespread and engulf an entire home. Gutter guards can make your home less susceptible to fire damage
Maintain a healthy and clean living environment
Water that can not run off properly has the potential to cause a plethora of issues in your home. Moist environments attract unwanted pests such as rodents, termites, and mosquitoes. Rodents can chew through electrical wiring, and termites can chew through your entire house, compromising its structural integrity. While mosquitos aren’t going to affect your home, they can affect your enjoyment of being outdoors. Going outside and coming back in covered in bites is not ideal, and if you can avoid it why wouldn’t you? When a home is exposed to excessive moisture, it can promote mould growth and rot which can be extremely hazardous to one’s health. Often when gutters are spilling water onto the house, water can seep into the roof and behind the walls. This can allow mould growth to go unnoticed for an extended period. Mould can cause health issues and extensive damage to the home as well. Gutter guards can prevent this from occurring in the first place, keeping you and your family safe from hazardous nasties.
Your gutters may seem like a humble home component, but they can influence the overall condition of your property significantly. Implementing gutter guards is a great way to protect your gutters and your home. To ensure your gutter guards are installed correctly and that a quality product is been used, it’s always a good idea to call in the professionals. Here at Global Vac, we specialise in all things guttering and can help you keep your gutters in optimal working order. Contact us today for more information.
