Rain Rain Go Away

Rain Rain Go Away!!!


Thunderstorms and heavy rain are very often the first indication homeowners get, that a problem exists with their roof or guttering system.

Occasional overflow in guttering when downfall is extreme can be normal, but continual heavy overflow is not. Leaks also seem to become obvious in torrential weather.

Leaks and pooling of water on roofs and guttering need to be repaired quickly because of the damage it can cause, such as: 

• Overflowing guttering and water spillage can lead to seepage into your home. Once water seeps into your walls and ceiling of your home, it is very difficult and expensive to repair, excess water around your home also can cause structural damage and corrosion to your homes foundations.
• Termites love damp areas and overflow creates damp spots around your home
• Clogged Gutters are one of the main causes of overflow. If your gutters are not properly cleaned and maintained this can mean your Gutter system is not working properly. This may eventually lead to overflow, possibly into your roof, effecting joists and structural work. Blockages in guttering can also cause vegetation to grow,  just compounding the problem with insects and the like.
• If your homes façade is brick or stone veneer, chipping and cracking of mortar is common when a gutter is splashing water against that wall.
• Wearing down of waterproofing measures, from the elements can also cause roof leaks for example sarking that is rusting around a chimney and sun lights for example, 
• Chipped tiles cause leaks into your roof and home, this can cause severe structural damage if not repaired ASAP.

Fixing the Problem of Overflow and Leakage

You must first identify why this is occurring

• The First step if you notice there is a problem, is ask an independent roofer or Gutter guard installer to come out and take a look, he will help to identify the problem and advise you the appropriate tradesman to repair it. You will find out whether it is the roof, guttering, or as simple as a blockage.

          The problem may be caused by any of the following,

• Incorrect angles of Guttering on your roof (Guttering must be installed making sure there is a seamless downwards flow to downpipes.)
• Cracked tiles could also be the culprits. Especially if leaks are occurring in your home.
• Guttering might not be flush against the roof, if there are gaps between your home and the Gutter System so that they do not match up, you will have leakage.
• Possibly a defect in your downpipe such as a blockage could be a possibility.  
• It may be that your Gutters are taking in a lot of leaves and debris from overhanging trees, which is affecting flow, causing overflow and damage to you gutters, look at getting a free quotation from Leafsmart Gutter Guard.       
• The leak could also be from rusted out Guttering causing seepage.

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Solutions

• What has the independent roofer recommended ?
• He may suggest getting a Professional Guttering Installer to take a look at the slope of the offending Gutter. It may need to be replaced or repaired. This may become a large job if all the guttering is out of whack. But will be considerable cheaper than replacing a wall or structures within your home.
•  He may also point out that the size of your gutters may be too small for the amount of roof to be drained causing overflow
•  Tiles break because of extreme weather, branches that fall, people walking on your roof to retrieve that wayward ball and just because they are old and worn. Your roof should be checked annually for problems. 
• If you are confident you can replace the broken tile yourself that is fine, it is a long way up and you must have the appropriate safety equipment.  If you do not have the appropriate safety equipment get a Gutter Guard or Roofer professional to do the job. It is just not worth the risk to fall off your roof. Also around chimneys, look for leaks; you may need re-grouting and waterproofing to fix these up. Again a roofer or Gutter Guard professional will be able to do this for you.
• If Pooling of water is happening in the Gutter itself, the Guttering installation is most likely the culprit here.  It may mean the Gutter angles of installation are incorrect or there is sagging within the gutters. This must be fixed to prevent further damage. Get the tradesmen to do a check with a hose to make sure the pooling is fixed after the repairs have been made. Do not sign off on this until you have seen that it has been mended.
• Gutter guard is a nearly maintenance free option that is legally required in bushfire areas in Australia. Look into this if you have problems with debris and leaves in your gutters, need to increase flow of rain water into tanks and downpipes, and to make your gutters more effective in heavy downpours.

 Heavy downpours and torrential rain can be a call to take action because it exposes weaknesses around your home that would otherwise be missed.
Storms around Summer time in Australia are a big driver for insurance claims. Around these times and before, regular maintenance checks on your home can prevent damage from occurring. 
Your Roof is the first and most important line of defense in extreme weather conditions, if this falls short than you are putting your home in a vulnerable position, take action and get regular maintenance checks, do this at the same time each year.

For more information you can contact Julian @        www.leafsmart.com.au