New tech solves costly problem and helps to prevent damp and mould

This week our Gardening Team have invested in new equipment that will help to prevent damp and mould in your home.

The most common cause of damp and mould is a cold home, but it could also be due to your property's age, the type of property, home features or external issues like a blocked gutter.

Ineffective or blocked gutters can cause water to run down the front of a property and if left for a long period of time, it can seep into internal walls causing damp or mould.

Our gardening team helps to maintain the outside spaces at schemes and are also responsible for unblocking gutters too.

This week they’ve been busy providing expert solutions to a costly problem to help prevent damp and mould as Mark Quinn, Gardening Supervisor (pictured above) explains.

“The gardening team used to clear out gutters at schemes using just a ladder and bucket.”

“In 2005 new safety legislation meant we had to stop and instead needed to put up scaffolding. Some of our schemes are over three stories high which meant a cheap solution suddenly became very costly.

“It meant we were having to reduce the number of cleans and started to see an increase in the number of residents reporting water on the outside of their homes.”

Mark took the feedback from residents and was eager to come up with a solution.

“I spoke to my colleague Adrian, and he suggested we try something called a SkyVac (pictured above). A powerful outdoor vacuum with a long hose that can be used on the ground to safely clear gutters.

“Last week we hired one to see if the machine would solve the problem, and it worked wonders! It was extremely powerful and did just what we needed it to do.”

Mark reported the success to his manager who approved the purchase of the team’s very own machine.

He estimates it will save hundreds, possibly thousands each year and will help to make sure homes are kept clear of damp and mould caused by blocked gutters.