How to stop gutters from overflowing

How To Stop Your Gutters Overflowing

During torrential rain, it isn’t all that rare for gutters to overflow. When even an average rainfall is causing your gutter system to be overrun, however, there may be a greater problem at hand. Fortunately, there are simple steps you can take to prevent overflow in your gutters. Continue reading as we go through the easiest ways you can remedy an overflow problem and protect your property for many years to come.

This blog explains the common causes of overflowing gutters and the prevention steps you can take . For personalised gutter advice, contact our team at O’Boyles Roofing today.

Why Are My Gutters Overflowing?

If your gutters are overflowing, chances are the reason is fairly simple. If you know what to look for, you should be able to spot the problem relatively quickly. The only real way to prevent and stop overflowing is to find the root cause and address it as swiftly as possible, finding ways to avoid this issue happening again in the future. Here are a few of the most common reasons gutters block and overflow:

Debris Clogging It Up

Often, nature is the enemy of a working gutter. Leaves, twigs, dirt, shingle granules… all these things and more can enter your gutter, and create a blockage that will prevent water from flowing as necessary. Sometimes, rubbish and plastic bags can also find their way into your gutter. Fortunately, clearing out debris from your gutter is relatively easy – we’ll walk you through that process in this article.

Improper Design For Your Home

Gutters need to cater to the unique specifics of your property. At times, if you examine your gutters and cannot find any blockage or tilt problems, there’s a chance that the gutter itself is too narrow for your home. If the gutter system isn’t large enough to handle the rainfall of the area you live in. Bigger gutters will likely solve your overflow issue.

Poor Positioning

At times, the reason your gutters aren’t working correctly could be due to the way they’re installed. The pitch and tilt of your gutter system will strongly impact their function, and if incorrect could lead to overflow. If the gutter is tilting away from the house, there is a chance that it will overflow during heavy rain. If the pitch is off, there is a strong chance that overflow will take place. If not steep enough, water will gather instead of flowing toward the appropriate downspout.

Check Your Gutters Regularly

One of the simplest ways to prevent overflow issues is to pay attention. It might sound like a silly solution, but this is really the key way to best maintain your gutters. Most people will only check their gutters once it’s too late – once there is obviously something wrong that needs fixing. Every so often, take the time to inspect your gutters. Check for debris, check for blockages, and try to take notice of anything that may be going slightly awry before it becomes obvious in the worst way possible.

If you think something may be off, test it yourself. Filling up a bucket with water and pouring it down your gutter is a great way to check for overflow problems. It’s far better to find out that way, rather than in the middle of a wild storm!

How to Clear Out Debris

If your gutter system is blocked up with debris, it is crucial that you clear it out as soon as you can. There are several simple techniques you can use to effectively clean your gutters. If you want to wash out any caked dirt or build-up, then using a power hose is a great option. If you don’t enjoy the mess that comes with using water, you can attach a nozzle to your leaf blower and force all the debris out with air. Or, there is always the simpler method of popping on some gloves and climbing a ladder yourself to get it all out.

However you choose to clean out your gutter, be sure to take the time to wash it clean afterward. Once you’ve removed all the debris, use your hose to flush out any remaining bits of dirt and build-up. Just like that, your gutters will be in fully functioning order once again.

Protective Measures

Sometimes, the design of your house will increase the risk of both overflow and debris blockages. If your roof is particularly steep, there’s a chance that rain will wash down at such speed that it will splash over the edges of the gutter. Installing a splash guard can fix this problem for you! An L-shaped splash guard will help contain water, preventing your gutters from getting overrun.

Another easy solution is mesh screens. Installing mesh over the top of your gutters limits what gets through. Water will pass easily through the screen and straight into your gutter as normal, but materials such as leaves and twigs will get caught before they can create a block. Cleaning your gutters will become much, much easier once you have a mesh screen installed!

Also read: The Importance Of Gutter And Downpipe Maintenance

Proper Ongoing Maintenance

At the end of the day, the best thing you can do to prevent unwanted overflow is to take thorough care of your gutters. Gutter repairs, assessments, and professional examinations can make a world of difference – protecting not only your gutter system, but your entire property. Having a roofing expert visit just once every six months to assess the state of your gutters can ensure that you can fix any problems before they happen, saving you plenty of time and money in the long run by limiting the chances of a damaging emergency.

Contact O’Boyles Roofing For Expert Gutter Advice

Concerned about the state of your gutters? Worried about overflow? Don’t wait until something goes terribly wrong to get professional help. Reach out today to Australia’s roofing experts. O’Boyles Roofing is ready to take your call, and before you know it you can have a friendly team member examining your gutters and offering unparalleled advice for the long-term protection of your home. Contact us today to sort your gutters out once and for all!

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