Flooding experts warn heritage properties are being damaged by leaky gutters

REDRUTH, U.K. - Nov. 26, 2015 - PRLog -- On National Gutters Day (Friday 27^th November) Richfords Fire & Flood is encouraging all building owners to check and clear gutters to avoid water cascading down external walls.

When gutters overflow and leave a constant stream of water down the outside of a building, it can lead to damp permeating the fabric. Eventually this will reach the internal structure and cause rot, mould and damp problems throughout the structure.

Richfords’ director of business development, Michael Cooper says:

“It is so sad to see so many buildings decaying needlessly because some simple maintenance has not been carried out. We are often called in to sort out damp situations like this when the whole problem could have been avoided by initially making sure leaves weren’t clogging up a down-pipe.”

National Gutters Day is organised by the Society of the Protection of Ancient Buildings to coincide with the end of National Maintenance Week and also that point in the year when most of the leaves have fallen from the trees.

Michael Cooper continued:

“If you are going to clear your gutters to avoid damp problems then be mindful of safety. Follow all the guidance given with ladders on how to set them up. Some buildings might need something more substantial such as a scaffold tower or a cherry-picker.”

Here are some tips:

·        Carry out a visual check first from ground level to see if there are any leaks or faulty brackets. Go outside particularly during a downpour to see if water is overbrimming.

·        Call in a professional maintenance firm to repair gutters and roofing.

·        Contact a damage restoration professional to deal with any damp problems caused by long-term gutter leaks.

Richfords Fire & Flood deals with a wide range of water damage projects ranging from restoring buildings and contents after a vertical ingress of water to flooding. The expert technicians work with insurers to put lives back together as many damage situations have a deep impact on people on a day to day emotional level. More information on the way this is done can be found on www.richfords.com.