A Complete Guide To Eavestrough Cleaning
If you want a healthy roofing system, an eavestrough cleaning is one important job that a homeowner can perform. Your eavestrough is the water management system for your home. Gutter cleaning ensures that it operates at peak efficiency, directing water away from your home. Eaves cleaning in Thunder Bay will keep the network that moves water operational. If a downpipe repair becomes necessary, a roofing contractor can take of the problem. If you have a problem moving water, causing your home to be at risk of water damage, a new eavestrough installation can be the right solution at the right time. At Dykstra Knight, we have been instructing our customers on the care and maintenance of their eavestrough systems. We have information to share about proper care and maintenance for your eaves system that can save thousands of dollars.
Key Components of The Eavestrough System
Troughs
The trough is a gulley, and it is the primary mover of water. It catches the rain or roof run-off and channels it to the downspouts for release on the ground. The trough is attached to the house under the eaves. The eavestrough hangs over the wall keeping water from running down the wall.
Downspouts
Next in the water control system for your roof is the downspout. The downspouts are attached to the eavestroughs, and they take collected water to the ground. Channelling water away from the foundation is how downspouts serve the water distribution network. At ground level, the downspouts must be elevated to help move water away from the foundation.
Hangers and Brackets
The hardware, hangers and brackets keep the eavestrough firmly attached to the roof, and they provide structural support for the network. There are many types of brackets, and hangers, on the market. They come in an assortment of colours to match the existing colour scheme you are using with the eavestrough.
Elbows
Elbows direct water traffic in the system, and they were created to move water in the system in different directions. There are two kinds of elbows, front elbows and side elbows. Front elbows move water from front to back while side elbows move water side to side.
Mitres
Attaching junctions and corners is what mitres are used for. They help water turn corners, so to speak, as they move water through the eavestrough when angles are prevalent. Some mitres are hand-made, and others massed produced. Hand-created mitres are seamless and unnoticeable.
Seamers
Eavestrough sections are long to match the side of a house. Sometimes, you can’t get a one-piece fit, so you need to join two pieces of eavestrough together. That is where the seamers come in – they attach two sections of the eavestrough to transport water. Also known as joining brackets in the industry, they play a vital role in maintaining the integrity of the eavestrough system.
Signs That Your Eavestroughs Need to be Repaired or Replaced
We can’t stress enough how important a functional eavestrough system is for a homeowner. In keeping with our instructional tutorial, we, at Dykstra Knight, would like to advise you when you need a repair or a replacement eavestrough based on what you see at your home.
- Leaks at the corners of the trough
- If your eavestrough is aluminum, rust is a sure sign of trouble for your eavestrough system.
- Ice dams can force your eavestrough from the fascia. If you see daylight between your home and the eavestrough, you know you have a problem.
- Nails that aren’t set are a problem, and if you see nails protruding, you have a problem.
- An eavestrough system has a shelf life of 20-25 years. If your gutter system is older than 25-years, it must be replaced.
The Dangers of A Clogged Eavestrough
Leaves and other materials that can be airborne can accumulate in an eavestrough. Once there, they will impede the movement of water, and a bottleneck will occur. The risks created by a clogged eavestrough are many, and we will detail them here.
When the movement of water stalls due to plugged eavestroughs, the structural integrity of your building will be at risk. The risks are two-fold, water is an invasive agent, and because water shapeless, it can enter your roofing system through any crack or seam. The other risk factor here is spillage over the trough that runs down the side of the home. Any opening water finds along the way to the ground is an entry point, and it can be a catastrophe if allowed to continue unabated. Water damage around windows and doors will be evident when you see bubbling or paint peeling inside your home. If water is allowed to pool at the base of the foundation can cause damage to the foundation.
How Often Should You Clean Your Eavestroughs?
The short answer to the question is regularly, but it depends. If you have mature trees on your property, you might want to clean the eavestrough more often than someone without trees. We mentioned leaf build-up in the troughs and what problems it causes, so vigilance is the order of the day. As a general rule, check your eavestroughs in the late fall and early spring to determine if there has been material accumulation. To keep your gutters clear, hire a roofing contractor to come in at least once a year for a thorough cleaning and quick inspection to keep your home dry and your eavestrough in good working order.