Homeowners often put gutter and downpipe cleaning on the back burner. But this low-cost maintenance is important for helping ensure the structure of your home remains sound.
The cost of an inspection and clean is minor compared to repairing the serious damage neglected gutters and downpipes can cause. Avoiding damage is as simple as having NexGen Tradies Property Maintenance Specialists based in East Fremantle, clear your gutters and downpipes.
NexGen Tradies home maintenance jobs are covered by Work Cover and Public Liability insurances. Add this to fair prices, prompt and reliable service backed up by 15 years experience, and it is not surprising that NexGen Tradies is Perth and Fremantle’s go-to company for all types of property maintenance, residential and commercial. Handyman services are also available.
Your Home’s Drainage System
Guttering and downpipes make up a vital part of your home’s drainage system. Gutters carry rainwater to your downpipes, which are connected to stormwater drains. Via stormwater drains, rainwater is discharged away from your home into the street, then into council drains. As a homeowner, make sure you know where your stormwater drains are and that they are working.
Visibly damaged, sagging or rusty gutters with downpipes that are broken, missing or blocked, are signs your gutter system needs urgent attention. If you see plant life growing out of any part of your gutters, they are clogged and need immediate attention.
Ideally, any soil around the outside of your house should be sloping away from it to avoid water collecting around the foundations.
Moisture in Foundations
Clogged gutters and downpipes can lead to water overflowing and soaking the ground around your home’s foundations. As seasons change and the foundations dry out then become wet again, they contract and expand, causing walls of foundations to crack and weaken. Moisture in the foundations may cause mould or mildew to form, which can become a health hazard.
If you have noticed that the slope of the ground or soil away from your house is not enough to keep water away from the foundation’s walls, you may need a drainage trench. It will divert water away from the foundations under the ground. Any damage to the foundations can then be repaired.
Peace of Mind is Priceless
Although you may not like paying for a drainage trench or – if necessary – repairing foundations, your peace of mind will be priceless. Installing a drainage trench and any follow up work your foundations may need will require the services of a qualified expert. It is not a Do It Yourself option.
Homeowners tempted to do their own inspections of their guttering and downpipes system run the risk of injury. In addition, the Building Commission of Western Australia warns against unqualified persons entering roof spaces, which house hidden dangers such as electrical wiring, overhead obstacles and unstable underfoot conditions.
Stained walls and mould, as well as peeling paint indicate the presence of moisture coming from either damaged roof or a failing, or incorrectly installed gutter and downpipe system. NexGen Tradies can identify the problem and a solution.
Contact NexGen Tradies; we operate throughout Perth and Fremantle, specialising in Strata Maintenance; Commercial Maintenance; Residential Maintenance; and Facility Management.
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