... and the North Pole off your roof!

With the arrival of the festive season, concerns about the aftermath of Santa's sleigh and reindeer on our rooftops start to loom large. While this is indeed a valid worry for many, the real issues may have been festering for quite some time.

As winter settles in and the frosty weather persists, it becomes crucial to keep a close watch on the condition of your commercial properties, particularly the mechanism responsible for flushing away winter debris and moisture: your gutters!

Ensuring regular gutter maintenance by a professional commercial gutter cleaning service is always important, but even more so during winter. The excessive buildup of debris, combined with the unpredictable weather conditions, poses a significant risk of gutter damage.

We fully understand that this time of year is bustling with activity, making it easy to neglect seemingly mundane tasks like inspecting your gutters. To save you from the hassle of unnecessary emergency gutter cleaning callouts (which, by the way, UK Gutter Maintenance can assist with), we have compiled a list of the top 5 warning signs to look out for during winter, indicating that your gutters are in dire need of repairs.

1. Ice dam

An ice dam is a layer of ice that forms around the gutter edge, preventing snow from draining from the roof, and because ice dams occur on gutters rather than the roof, rising heat from inside your commercial property melts the snow instead of the ice dam. This results in the formation of a pool of water, which if left long enough, can begin to penetrate the roof, causing leaking and potential flooding inside the commercial property. An early indication of an ice dam is the formation of icicles hanging from the gutters. This is a particularly hazardous scenario, therefore at the first sight of icicles or internal leaking, contact a commercial gutter cleaning service immediately.

2. Separating downspout seam

Separating downspouts usually occur at ground level where the seams are weaker, and are a result of excess foliage being passed down the extraction gutter. Separating seams are easily identified, and it is advised that these are inspected and replaced by a professional commercial gutter cleaning service as soon as possible, as the seam split can spread up the downspout. In doing so, the downspout will not guide wastewater into the drainage system, and will instead leak against the walls of your commercial property, causing external damage.

3. Cracked gutters

Cracked gutters are difficult to inspect due to the height of gutters on commercial properties. However, a cracked gutter can be identified by dark staining on external walls, produced as a result of leaking contaminated wastewater. This is not only unsightly, but causes serious damage and weakening to the extremities of the building. A qualified commercial gutter cleaning service can inspect the gutters to ensure cracked gutters is the root of the cause.

4. Misshapen tiling/brick work

As a result of a buildup of moisture from either overflowing or blocked gutters, the material of the roof on your commercial property can begin distorting. This distortion is even more prominent in winter, when the weather conditions cause expansion and contraction, aiding towards the misshapen appearance. If left unattended the roof will cease guiding water into the gutters, and instead, begin absorbing it. This will result in internal leaking and flooding, potentially damaging assets held inside and electrical hardware.

5. Detached gutters

Detached gutters are dangerous fixtures to have on all properties, but especially commercial properties where they are fixed at a considerable height. Detached gutters are identified by a single heavy and consistent stream of water pouring from the roof. This has the same effects on your commercial property as a cracked gutter, but with more intensity. Not only will the damage to the outer walls of the building be substantial, but the detached gutter also poses a threat to people at ground level. If there is a heavy downpour, it could weaken the joints further, leading to it fully detaching from the property. Therefore, regular commercial gutter maintenance performed by a professional gutter cleaning service is recommended at least twice throughout the year, to reduce the risk of unexpected complications and costs.

So there you have it. Save yourself a visit from the Grinch and make sure your gutters are properly 'winterised'. We hope these tips on winter gutter maintenance this holiday season have been useful and wish all of our customers have a joyful Christmas and a prosperous 2024.

Here at UK Gutter Maintenance, our teams provide commercial gutter cleaning on a national scale, for businesses large and small! Call us today on 01748 835 454 to arrange a bespoke quotation or Contact Us via our online form.