New Gutters Bring Down the House

'Architects warn thousands of homes are at risk because of the widespread use of guttering that can direct overflow water into wall cavities and cause serious structural problems.
Architects fear thousands of Australian homes, particularly new houses, may face the same problem. Water overflowing from the high-fronted gutters is not directed away from the house - as regulations insist - but back into the wall cavity. There, electrical wiring is exposed to the moisture and the water can rot timber frames and plasterboard walls.
As much as 85 per cent of new guttering installed on NSW homes is high-fronted, attached to a building's facia by a spring-clip system. This makes the entire guttering system non-compliant with building codes and Australian Standards because provision for continuous overflow does not exist.
Home owners may face huge repair costs in years to come, setting the stage for fights between insurers, builders and plumbers over who should foot the bill.
Last year NRMA Insurance received 48,000 storm related claims, with overflowing gutters cited as one of the four most common reasons for water entering homes.
Behind the scenes, however, both the Government and the industry have been taking steps to cover their backs ever since the Herald published a story last February alerting readers to potential damage to their homes from non-compliant guttering.
The web of misleading, confusing and contradictory messages about gutter ,installation dates back at least to 2008, when high-fronted gutters were first linked to water damage'

"If people just maintain their gutters and keep it clean, it generally works fine." GUTTER CLEANING - IS ONE OF THE MOST IMPORTANT HOME - MAINTENANCE SERVICES NEEDED EVERY 6 MONTHS (Overage North Shore - Sydney Home) MESH AND LEAF GUARD: Even the best quality products must be maintain and clean at least once per year. Dust must be wash away from gutters and debris on top blown away. If this process is not followed regularly - it will lead to expensive mesh removal.