We recently spoke about potential summer roofing problems and gave advice on avoiding any issues. However, guttering can also be vulnerable throughout the summer months. At AJ Scutchings and Son, we appreciate the importance of both identifying problems once they arise, but also preventing them where possible. With the weather quickly warming, here is what you need to know about protecting your guttering in summer:

Overheating

The heat of the sun can actually weaken your gutters extensively, sometimes even causing splitting and breaking. The heat will affect your gutters in different ways depending on the material that they are made of. If your gutters are vinyl or plastic, these are most susceptible to being thoroughly damaged and breaking in the sun. However, even aluminium and vinyl guttering suffers in summer, as too much UV exposure can cause them to peel or become discoloured. It’s important to be aware of this and to apply a gutter protection product to your guttering in summer.

Falling Leaves

Although summer is not known for an abundance of falling leaves, what does collect in your gutter can be far more dangerous. With occasional summer storms and winds, leaves and twigs often do get whipped around and can land in your guttering. With the increase in sun, these will quickly dry, and if your guttering heats up too much this can be a dangerous fire hazard. It’s extremely important in the summer time to check your gutters regularly and ensure that they are clear of all debris.

Branches

It’s no secret that summer storms can be ferocious. There’s little that can be done if a storm is large enough to dislodge and move large tree branches, however, if you have a tree or shrub close to your drainpipe or guttering, you should take care to keep it trimmed. If your branches are long enough to reach your guttering and they get whipped about by a strong wind, they can easily hit into it and cause significant cracks. Make sure you cut the branches back to the point where they can’t reach your drainpipes and guttering in summer.

If you find any damage to your guttering in summer, it’s important to make sure it’s seen to as quickly as possible. Call AJ Scutchings and Son on 07778 188 952 if you notice any potential problems with your guttering, and we will come out to help you as soon as possible.