Roofing And Guttering

Dickson Plumbing and Gas Fitting offer roofing and guttering services. To repair replace or install new gutters, roofing sheets in a range of materials and colors. We can also do your down pipes. The gutters and downspouts attached to your roof are two of the most important, yet most overlooked components of the home. Sadly, if either are improperly installed or damaged, you are left with a very large repair bill.

If you recently bought your first house, you’re likely learning a new responsibility or two that comes with homeownership. One chore that can often be overlooked is routine gutter maintenance. Even though it might not seem like a priority, gutter maintenance is an important step in avoiding costly home repairs down the line.

Leaves and other debris collect and can clog downspouts, leading to water damaged roofs and fascia, mold, and rodent problems. On top of this, water that pours over the gutters can run into basements or crawl spaces or cause trouble with your home’s foundation. Luckily, I’ve compiled a list of nifty gutter cleaning tips and tricks to help you with the task!

When To Clean Your Gutters – Roofing and Guttering

Experts recommend that as a rule of thumb, you should perform a good gutter cleaning at least twice a year. But your maintenance schedule will ultimately depend on where you live. Different climates and varying landscapes will determine how often your gutters should be cleaned. For example, if you live around pine trees, you’ll likely need to inspect your gutters every three months since the trees shed needles year-round. If you live in a colder climate, be watchful of freezing conditions that can cause ice dams or leaks.

Check your weather before you set a day to do your cleaning. The job will be easier if the debris is dry. It’s also a good idea to clean before big storms, so you can rest assured that your gutters will do their job properly. If you’re uncomfortable at height contact Dickson Plumbing and Gas Fitting.

What You’ll Need

Begin by gathering the tools required for the task. You’ll need a sturdy ladder, a good pair of gloves, and a garden hose hooked up to a water spigot. You might also want to keep a garden shovel or trowel nearby for breaking up large clumps. For easy cleanup, dispose of the debris in a bucket or keep a tarp on the ground beneath your ladder. If you plan on using an extension ladder that leans up against the house, it is a good idea to invest in standoff stabilizers. These prevent the ladder from lying against the gutters, which can cause damage.

Keep in mind that it is not recommended that you do gutter maintenance or repair from your roof, as it poses a major safety hazard. Clean your gutters using a firmly planted ladder, and avoid reaching too far past the side rail or standing on the top three rungs.

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Gutter Replacement – Roofing and Guttering

Before installing new guttering around your home its a good idea to asses the water catchment area of your roof ,the number of down pipes you have and calculate if more are needed. Adjusting the correct amount of fall is also very important, too little and it will hold water and shorten it lifespan, too much and you may be able to see under your roof sheets, this can also be noticeable on the ground.

Other issues with guttering if it done wrong is that it may not take a heavy rain and overflow.

Material types: colorbond , galvanised, zincalume, copper and polycarbonate.

Gutter Maintenance Tips – Roofing and Guttering

After you’ve gathered your materials, pick a place near a downspout to start your clean. Remove large debris like twigs and leaves with a small shovel or trowel. Once you’ve gone around and cleaned out what you can, clear out smaller particles with a water hose, starting at the opposite end of the downspout. If you find that the water doesn’t drain, the downspout may be clogged.

To unclog a downspout, run a water hose with a narrow nozzle locked on full pressure up the pipe from the bottom. If this doesn’t do the trick, use a plumber’s snake to remove the blockage.

Gutter Repair Tips – Roofing and Guttering

If you find standing water after the gutter has been flushed, the likely culprit is an insufficient slope. For every ten feet of gutter, there should be a quarter-inch decline towards the downspout. To fix the slope issue, detach hangers and adjust accordingly. When doing this, it’ll be easiest to work in small sections.

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Things To consider:

Materials such as unpainted zink and gal can have a shortend lifespan in salty coastal areas.

Electrolysis:

Electrolysis can also shorten the lifespan of your roof and gutter. This occurs when two none compatible metals are in contact with each other , in some cases electrolysis can occurs even when there is no physical contact, just water running off one type of metal onto another can create a rust problem . this can happen as water picks up molecules from the first material.

Double Story / High Rise

Working at these heights can pose some level of difficulty . To conduct the work safely and legally often scaffold needs to be erected , this can often be of higher cost then the work to be done itself.

Roof Leaks

Finding the leak in a roof can sometimes be difficult and is often subject to trial and error as water will run of other thing and leak into your building in a place that water tight , getting under the roof sheets while its raining or with a hose is often the best way to find the leak. Contact us if you need assistance.

If you need to colour match your colourbond roof, click here.