ABC Seamless - Blog

Summary of article in the Daily Telegraph regarding its interview with ABC Seamless Guttering

The interview: Don’t let gutters become a problem at your house.

YOUR guttering can quickly go from a help to a hindrance to your house if it is not properly maintained or installed correctly.

Leaves and other debris are major culprits in giving your guttering system grief.

The director of ABC Seamless said having your gutters cleaned or vacuumed regularly can save a lot of problems in the future.

“A build-up of leaves does not only result in overflowing, but the debris remaining in the gutter can be a breeding ground for mosquitoes,” the director said.

Dry leaves in gutters can also be a fire hazard. Rusting is also a common problem and can stem from poorly installed guttering or an incorrect type.

“While rusting is largely due to the age of a gutter, it can also be due to water sitting in a gutter that has an incorrect slope or fall,” the director said.

For a better and longer lasting gutter, the director recommends the high-back, low-front seamless aluminium variety.

“Aluminium should last longer than 25 years, while colorbond or zincalume gutters should last more than 12 years,” the director said.

Avoid high-front gutters because they often lead to water flowing backwards into a house.

Cost

Installing a new gutter in your home on average costs between $3000 - $4000.

Gutter guards

Protection systems such as gutter guards help keep leaves and debris out. The Aluminium Leafguard/Gutterguard mesh material helps to keep your gutters clean and reduces the risk of fire.

Types of gutters

Box gutter: A gutter boxed into the middle or the edge of the roof.
Fascia gutter: Combines the gutter and fascia to create one system.
Square gutter: Has a square appearance that comes in a lo-square or hisquare profile.
Round gutter: Looks from side on like a circle that has been cut in half.
Quad Gutter: Popular because it works in well with existing gutters.
Ogee Gutter: Highly recommended for its high back and low front profile.

DO’SANDDON’TS

Do

• Trim back overhanging trees that drop leaves into gutters.
• Regularly have your gutters cleaned out.
• Take note if your gutters start to rust and find out what the cause may be.

Don’t

• Hire a tradesman without checking their licence, insurance and references.
• Let dry leaves build up in gutters. They are a fire hazard.
• Climb up to your gutters without making sure the ladder is safe and stable.

Maintaining your guttering

• Have any leaves and debris cleared out of your gutters every spring and autumn to prevent clogging.
• You can loosen any dirt that has blown into the gutters and scrub them with a stiff brush.
• Flushing gutters with a hose will clear material that has become lodged in the downpipes.
• Repainting your gutters will depend on the type of gutter you have, but an oil-based paint should do the trick. You can also start with a coat of rust preventive oil-based primer for steel gutters.
• Be extra careful when using a ladder as accidents can easily happen.

Things we often get asked as a tradie company

• Do you have a valid licence? Yes, we do.
• Do you have insurance? Yes, we do.
• Is the type of guttering I have causing the problem? Our professional estimators will advise you.
• How much will the work cost? Our estimators will let you know.
• Can you do a roof inspection? Yes, we can.
• Is there any rust? Our estimators will tell you.
• What type of gutter would be best suited to my home? Our estimators will advise you.

ABC Seamless are the gutter professionals and have successfully installed gutters in over 40,000 homes in New South Wales. Contact us today for a free quote.