Why Concrete Gutter Removal is a Preference for Many Homeowners

Concrete gutters were built on homes between 1950s-1970s as a substitute for scarce materials that were being used in the War effort (such as steel).

Photo by Matt Reames on Unsplash

Concrete gutters, also called Finlock gutters, were built because of their reliability. However, as they age, they begin to fail and their structural integrity begins to break down, resulting in the gutter becoming porous and allowing water to seep through and cause damage.

A lot of homeowners find that their Finlock gutters begin to breakdown, and this leaves them with only a few options:

·         Concrete gutter lining

·         Concrete gutter removal

·         Concrete gutter repairs

ForFor a lot of homeowners, concrete gutter removal is the best solution to their problems. Finlock gutters have a lot of issues as they age. For example:

Lining failure. This is when water finds its way through gaps and can begin to seep through due to the failing of the gutters. It can be incredibly problematic and should be addressed immediately to avoid further costs.

Cold/thermal bridging can be challenging in all weather conditions, but especially in winter months, and can even affect your home’s energy consumption and how well your home insulates. When these problems arise, it can sometimes cause the wallpaper to peel away from the wall, damaging the beauty of your home and causing unnecessary decorating costs.

Finlock gutters can wear down and begin to sag which affects the beauty of your home and the guttering’s functionality. As well as impacting any windows sitting below.

Due to Finlock gutters lack of reliability with water, they aren’t very good at draining water. The water remains in the gutter system for long periods of time and can cause issues with the fabric of the building which increases risk of mould and damp growth. In extreme cases, the water can cause a puddling effect and can attract pests or begin to collapse the guttering.

Damp and mould can start to grow and cause further issues for the interior of your home. The damp and mould can grow substantially, causing the wallpaper to come away from the walls and potentially be an issue for your health.

When confronted with these issues, there are only a few solutions. Concrete gutter repairs are a waste of time, as the problems will still return after the repair. Resulting in more unnecessary repair costs in the future.

Concrete gutter lining will fix the issues temporarily by making your gutters waterproof, but this procedure must be redone down the line, and it is not a fix for some concrete gutter issues. Ultimately, lining the gutters will not work for all issues, and should only be considered as a short-term solution until you can afford a concrete gutter replacement.

A concrete gutter replacement is the preference for many homeowners because it clears up all the gutter issues at once. If you remove your Finlock guttering and replace them with a more reliable material, the issues will not return. Additionally, many homeowners prefer fresh, reliable guttering in place of their old system as this avoids gambling with your gutters health in the future. This is the costliest procedure, but it is the most cost-effective in the long run.