Gutter Guard King Tas Blog

We Aussies are a house-proud bunch. After decades of chasing the great Australian dream, we’ve now adopted renovation and DIY as our new responsibility. Building approvals for home renovations totalled $6.35 billion in 2012, or around $500 million every month, and figures suggest the renovating bug shows no signs of slowing down, with homeowners keen to increase the value of their home or upgrade to a better standard of living (www.realestate.com.au 2013). 

While we tend to spend a lot of time and money choosing internal fixtures and fittings, many people overlook the importance of maintaining the roof and gutters to protect all that hard work and money spent on our homes. When it comes to gutter cleaning, we tend to fall into two camps – adopting either an ‘out of sight, out of mind’ no maintenance program; or the ‘she’ll be right’ approach of climbing the ladder and doing it ourselves. Both camps have inherent risks. Blocked gutters can lead to flooding, causing extensive damage to roof and ceiling areas, walls and floors, and destroying precious home contents. They can also lead to pest infestation and pose a fire risk due to a buildup of debris in the gutters. However, gutter cleaning (like any home maintenance job that involves ladders) can be very dangerous, with almost 20 Australians dying each year from falls from ladders. We will explore: 

• The importance of keeping gutters clean 
• How gutter guards can save you money – and possibly your life – by removing a range of household risks 
• An economic model which calculates the actual, tangible cost benefits of installing gutter guards 
• Why Gutter Guard King Tas Gutter Guard provides superior protection to other gutter guard systems 

One of the key areas of maintenance on a home is the roof and gutters. 

Blocked gutters can lead to flooding, causing extensive damage to roof and ceiling areas, walls and floors, and destroying precious home contents. 

A recognised way to prevent blocked gutters is to invest in a gutter guard. 

Gutter mesh can save you money in maintenance bills and protect your home when things go wrong. It can also reduce the need to undertake risky DIY cleaning jobs up ladders. 

It only takes one leaf too many to clog a gutter and cause you serious problems; don’t let one leaf end up costing thousands of dollars in damage to your most important assets – your health and your home. 

WHY WE HAVE GUTTERS  

Gutters may not be very glamorous – but they are actually one of the unsung heroes of your home. Their main function is to transport water away from the roof, either into a drainpipe or water collection and storage system. Without gutters, water can flow toward the walls, seep into cracks and get inside, causing extensive flood and moisture damage. Water can collect next to the foundations of your home, which can cause serious structural damage. A gutter does a good job of removing this water, so long as it is properly maintained. Blockages are common and gutters require ongoing maintenance to ensure they can function properly. 

WHAT CAUSES A BLOCKED GUTTER?  

Fallen leaves, dirt and debris get washed or blown off the roof into our gutters every day. Even without rain, condensation will mix with this dirt to form a sludge in your gutters, which can build up at an alarming rate and cause corrosion damage to the guttering itself over time. The wetter the climate, the more likely it is that moss and other build up will occur. Guttering also tends to be a haven for pests, including birds, possums and insects who use your gutter as their home and breeding ground 

WHATS LURKING IN YOUR GUTTER? 

• Grass and plants growing in gutters and stopping water flow 
• Moss build up 
• Gutter blocked with leaves and debris 
• Pests including possums and birds making nests Sometimes you can’t see the problem from the ground; and you won’t always notice the overflow until damage is done 

WHY IS IT A PROBLEM IF YOUR GUTTERS BECOME BLOCKED?  

Blocked gutters and downpipes mean the water can’t drain properly, causing the gutters to back up and overflow over the back of the gutter during and after heavy rain and storms. This can lead to water entering the house via the roof, eaves and ceiling cavities, overflowing onto verandas, terraces and stair slabs and flowing into the downstairs rooms; flooding internally or causing drainage problems around the foundations. The big issue is that you probably won’t know you’ve got a blockage until it’s too late, as the signs can be hard to spot from the ground. Typically, flooding occurs in the middle of a storm or heavy rain, so you might find yourself struggling to clear blocked gutters in wet and dangerous conditions. Flooding also has the potential to be very expensive and extremely inconvenient to fix. 

FLOODING CAUSED BY BLOCKED GUTTERS  

In 2008, NRMA Insurance received 48,000 storm-related claims, with overflowing gutters cited as one of the four most common reasons for water entering homes (SMH 2009). It’s a problem many experienced roofers witness. One roofer I spoke with explained “I come across various homes where either leaf litter or hail damage has caused water to back up into the valleys of the roof and cause flooding. “The gutters are blocked so the water has nowhere to go. It gets under the roof sheets and into the ceiling cavity. It’s a real headache for people and can be very expensive if you have to replace everything.” Installing a gutter guard would stop a large percentage of this problem occurring. “You can’t say it will never happen, but it would certainly stop the problem in most cases and alleviate the stress and expense for a lot of people.” 

HOW GUTTER PROTECTION WORKS  

A gutter guard (also known as gutter mesh) provides a long-term solution to solve this problem by preventing the majority of debris from entering the gutter in the first place. There are various types of gutter protection systems on the market today. Over-the-gutter systems that form a physical barrier to prevent leaves and debris from entering gutters offer a long-term solution to minimise the risk of gutters flooding. Typically constructed using aluminum mesh, this form of gutter protection ensures year-round low-maintenance protection that keeps gutters from getting blocked, preventing flooding of eaves, ceiling and wall cavities; and extra protection from hail and flooding rains during storms. 

WAYS TO SAVE BY INVESTING IN A GUTTER GUARD 

The costs of leaving your gutters to fend for themselves can really add up, depending on a range of circumstances. While they may be difficult to predict, many of the following issues may be more common that you think. When you compare the one-off costs of installing a gutter protection system versus how much you spend annually on cleaning and maintenance, and the potential costs of what could go wrong with your gutters, it definitely pays to invest to protect the value of your home. Prevention is better than the cure – in more ways than one. 

SIGNIFICANTLY REDUCE ANNUAL CLEANING COSTS  

How often should you clean your gutters? It really depends on your property. Do you live in a leafy suburb? Is your home surrounded by trees? If the answer is yes, you may find yourself needing to clean your gutters every three months to prevent them getting clogged with leaves and debris. However, even regular cleaning has inherent risks and can fail. A significant storm event or even a few days of windy weather can deposit significant debris onto the roof and into your gutters, causing blockages. If followed by heavy rain, enormous amounts of water can back up onto the roof, run down behind sidings and flashings, and penetrate to interior walls. No gutter protection system is completely maintenance free; you will still need to check your gutters every year and flush out the sludge that can damage your gutters if left. However, installing a gutter guard greatly reduces the number of times you’ll need to clean your gutters, saving you money and reducing the risk of falls.  If you need to get your gutters cleaned every three months and it is $250 each time, then over the course of 12 months that is a saving of $1,000 per year, if you choose to get a gutter guard system installed. 

SAVE ON REPLACING RUSTED GUTTERS  

All environments are corrosive to some degree, although certain environments create more intense breeding conditions for rust than others. Cleaning your gutters regularly can help prevent gutter rust. Without proper cleaning, debris left in gutters breaks down and forms a destructive sludge. Over time, this sludge causes rust to form. Your gutters will eventually stop working properly and will need to be replaced – which can set you back thousands. This can occur in as little as 10 years. A gutter that has been cleaned regularly and protected with a gutter guard will at least double this life expectancy – protecting your home for 20 years plus. 

SAVE ON HOME INSURANCE PREMIUMS 

We’re paying a lot more for our home and contents insurance than ever before. Premium costs for home and contents insurance have significantly increased across all of Australia as a direct result of the natural disasters that have been experienced in recent years. If you have to claim on a policy due to an issue with your gutter, the premiums will almost certainly go up in the future and you may not recover all of your costs. 

AVOID THE COST OF REMOVING PESTS FROM YOUR ROOF SPACE  

Unprotected gutters are a haven for pests seeking food and shelter. Rotting gutter debris provides a perfect breeding ground for mice, snakes, spiders, cockroaches, beetles and mosquitoes - all of which spread disease – including nasties like salmonella, staphylococcus, streptococcus, polio, allergies and encephalitis. Possums can also often enter roofs through damaged gutters looking for a place to nest when their natural nesting sites have been removed. While not pests, they can certainly be very annoying by keeping you awake at night, and cause considerable damage to your insulation and roof cavity. Under the Wildlife Act 1975 possums are protected, meaning they must not be harmed or kept in cages; something to remember if you’re thinking of removing a possum from your roof. If a possum is causing damage in your roof cavity, they can be removed but need to be released within 50 metres of the capture site that day. People who breach the law with regard to possums - baiting possums with poison, for example - can face fines of up to $5000. Noise aside, they can cause considerable damage to weatherboards, plasterboard and even wiring. The safest and more effective option would be to hire a professional. All pest control and removal come at a cost, and these costs will vary depending on your house and pest problem. But the cost that can be incurred by their unchecked damage can be even greater. 

COST OF PESTS IN YOUR ROOF SPACE  

Possum removal can cost $250 - $400 depending on roof size. You may be up for costs of insulation removal and replacement. Fines if you get caught trying to relocate a possum yourself, can be anywhere up to $5000 under the Wildlife Act 1975 (DSE Victoria) 

AVOID THE COST OF REPLACING PEST-AFFECTED INSULATION 

Possums often urinate and defecate on ceiling plaster, causing stains and foul smells. They can also tear insulation to shreds, meaning it won’t retain heat properly. If you have rats or mice in your ceiling space, they may build nests as well, making the issue worse. The damage and contamination can pose a serious health hazard for you and your family. Insulation removal is a messy and potentially dangerous job unless undertaken by experienced professionals. As it’s such an unpleasant job, it can cost up to $4,000 depending on the size of your roof and the difficulty of access into your roof. 

PROTECT THE VALUE OF YOUR HOME  

Damage from overflowing gutters can be expensive to fix, there can also be significant impact on the value of your home if yours or any of the houses in your street has overflowing gutters. A study by the UK’s Churchill home insurance found that 98% of estate agents said that an unsightly or poorly maintained neighbouring property has a negative impact on the price potential buyers will pay for a home (Churchill 2013). So, it pays to keep an eye on your own gutters – as well as those on your neighbours’ homes – to protect the value of your home. By comparison, the investment required to protect your home with a more long-term option like steel gutter mesh (on the average Australian home) is between $1500- $2,000 fully installed. This could pay for itself several times over when the time comes to sell your house through improved valuations and by eliminating potential issues with building and pest inspections. 

Top 5 eyesores affecting property values are: 

1. Broken or boarded up windows 

2. Rubbish or junk in the front garden or drive 

3. Overflowing gutters 

4. Unsightly or imposing extensions and DIY 

5. Run down vehicles in the front drive 

WHAT WOULD YOU PAY TO PROTECT YOUR MOST VALUABLE ASSET?  

The cost to protect the average Australian home with gutter guards: 

• Gutter Protection Solution installed – reducing the risks 
• Cost to get gutter guards installed $1,000+ Gutter Protection Solution installed – maintenance costs 
• Cost to get gutters cleaned $250 annually 

Compare this with the costs of what could go wrong if you leave yourself, and your home, unprotected: 

No Gutter Protection – adding up the risks 

• Cost to replace rusted gutters $3,500 
• Cost to remove pests from your roof space $400 
• Cost to remove & replace pest affected insulation $3,200 
• Maintenance costs $1,000 
• Cost to have open/gutters without gutter protection cleaned every three months - $1,000 annually 

PROTECT YOURSELF FROM THE RISK OF INJURY  

To clean or not to clean? The risks of DIY gutter cleaning While it’s very important to look after your roof and gutters, this advice comes with conditions attached. Every day homeowners are climbing ladders to wash the exterior of their homes, examine gutters, paint walls or make repairs. Unfortunately, people are also falling from ladders and sustaining serious injuries. You don’t have to fall from too high off a ladder to sustain a serious injury, with only 1-2 metres being enough to risk fractured limbs, spinal cord damage, severe brain injury or even death as a result. Men at or nearing retirement age are at the greatest risk of being injured or killed from falling from a ladder when doing maintenance around the home. Minimising the risks of ladder falls on average, 19.4 Australians — mainly men — die each year after falling from a ladder. According to the Australian National Coroners Information System: 

• Most people who died after falling from ladders were over 50 years old 
• 32 per cent of deaths were in the 70-79 year age group 
• 96 per cent of fatalities were male 
• Over 85 per cent of deaths occur in non-occupational activities (ie not at work) 
• 34 per cent of these deaths occur during home maintenance activities 

A study on the relationship between slips, trips and falls and the design and construction of buildings (Monash University 2008) made a number of recommendations to reduce the risks of a fall from heights injury, including providing features such as hinged gutters and gutter guards. Installing gutter guards is a long-term solution that will reduce the amount of cleaning you have to do to keep your roof and gutters in good shape. It could literally save your life. 

What value do you put on your health – or your life - or that of your partner? Think twice before you get up a ladder to clean your gutters. Consider your other options like installing gutter guards. 

SOME OTHER GOOD REASONS TO KEEP YOUR GUTTERS CLEAN 

Reduce the risk of fires spreading. A gutter filled with leaves and debris is a dangerous source of fuel for bushfires. Research has shown that the main cause of house fire during bushfire is from ember attack, where burning parts of trees (e.g. twigs, branches, leaves) are carried by winds and lodge in gutters, under doorways, roof spaces or windows and start internal fires. Over 85% of fires that destroy homes are started this way. Ember guards form part of strict new construction standards for properties built in bushfire prone areas in an attempt to mitigate the risks to people and property. Look after your family’s health Leaks in ceilings and walls can lead to extra moisture in the home, which encourages mold and mildew to grow. This can cause irritation in some people, and more severe health problems in others. Infants, children, pregnant women, individuals with existing respiratory problems and the elderly are all at greater risk. The best way to avoid these problems is to take precautions to eliminate the growing conditions that would lead to mold appearing in the first place – keeping your home dry and damp-free – which means making sure your roof and gutters are doing their job properly, keeping water away from your home.

IN SUMMARY 

No gutter protection solution is maintenance free; however, installing gutter guards greatly reduces the need for regular maintenance activity on the roof and gutter. Quality gutter guard systems are largely self-cleaning, which means that any small, fine matter that enters the gutter is washed away with the slightest rain. This will increase the life of your gutters by minimising the moist conditions that lead to corrosion and eliminate the need to clean out your gutters more than once a year. When you consider that you only have to fall 1-2 metres off a ladder to suffer serious injuries - anything to reduce the number of times you have to access your roof via a ladder is an investment in your own safety and the security of your family. A gutter guard provides a cost-effective solution to managing risk and protecting your home, with the average installation costing between $1500-$3,000 fully installed. When you compare the costs of installation vs what could go wrong with your gutters, it definitely pays to invest to protect the value of your home, and ensure your own safety. We always say prevention is better than cure, but in this case, your hip pocket will thank you too. 

WHY USE GUTTER GUARD KING TAS FOR ALL YOUR GUTTER PROTECTION NEEDS? 

Gutter Guard King Tas is a locally owned and operated family business specialising in gutter protection for both residential and commercial properties. Having found a gap in the market for suitable solutions to solve issues such as clogged gutters, fire ember protection, keeping out pests and vermin and maintaining free-flowing water in your gutter system, Gutter Guard King Tas was formed. With a lack of quality options out there, we decided to bring quality to the market, with a smile. Being a small family owned business, we know how to treat each and every customer with courtesy and respect. Our customers are our business and this is what separates us from the big boys. When you use Gutter Guard King Tas you are a customer for life, not just a number. 

We pride ourselves on providing outstanding service to our customers and ensuring they are fully satisfied with our service. Your gutter protection will be installed directly by either the business owner or an experienced contractor who has all the training and insurances required to offer you peace of mind. We clean up all mess once we are finished and will even clean out your gutters before installation, to ensure a first call service is provided. To arrange a free quote and inspection, contact us today! When we visit, we will bring our custom-made trailer for you to see and feel the product in person. This way you get a full understanding of our gutter guard quality and effectiveness before proceeding. 

Your peace of mind Guarantee and written Warranty 

•  Tidy & Safe: Your site will be left totally clean and tidy and all our rubbish removed when the job is completed – during work we’ll take precautions to make the area ‘safe’ 
•  After sales: In the event something goes wrong we’ll make contact within 48hrs to arrange inspection and if repairs are needed these will be completed within 7 days at no cost to you 
•  Warranty: Setting the highest standard in the industry Gutter Knight provides a manufacturer 15-year product warranty and an unheard off 15-year workmanship guarantee. But not only that; Gutter Guard King Tas provides a signed written ‘warranty certificate’ upon completion of your job, this warranty stays with the home which means even if you sell the home the warranty is still valid for the new owner