This time of the year you most likely would have done an Autumn clear up in your garden, put your garden furniture in storage for the winter and cleared all the leaves and mowed your lawn for the last time until the Spring. How about your gutters? Have they been cleared from the leaves and moss ? If not, now is the best time to check your gutters before the winter weather kicks in.
You often don’t think about your guttering as they are “out of sight and out of mind”, but they have an important job to do to ensure the structural integrity of your house. If they are broken or clogged, the rainwater off your roof could cause serious issues, such as damp and even structural damage to your property. Because of this it’s a good idea to clean your gutters annually to keep them performing properly.
How to spot blocked or faulty guttering
To inspect your guttering, you could pop outside while it is raining. If you see any water running down the side of your house, then you may have an issue and your guttering could be blocked. The main cause of blocked guttering is debris such as fallen leaves or moss.
When your gutters become weighed down by debris and standing water this can cause water to spill over the edge when it is raining. The additional load this excess water creates can also impact on the integrity of your guttering system by placing extra load on brackets which, if lose or damaged, could come away altogether. If any part of your guttering system looks old, worn or lose now is also a good time to replace it.
Another problem with guttering is leaking joints, which is the most common cause of isolated damp in homes across the UK. Leaks can be caused by bits of debris, general wear and tear or poor installation.
As well as looking up, you can also examine how sturdy your gutters are by examining the downpipe on the ground. If anything feels lose you should be checking the condition of the gutters.
How to do it yourself
We recommend that you clear your gutters at least once a year. This is a job you can tackle yourself, but we do recommend approaching this with caution as working at heights is a common cause of accidents. Always make sure you have the correct equipment for the job and use a sturdy, stable ladder.
- Wear suitable clothing. A top with long sleeves and rubber gloves.
- Use a sturdy extendable ladder. Attaching ladder “horns” is also a good idea to keep the ladder from damaging the gutter.
- Use a plastic tarpaulin spread out underneath where you’re working onto which you can dump leaves, moss and gunk.
- Use your hands and/or a small plastic scoop to remove blockages.
- Flush out your gutter and drainpipes with a garden hose once you’ve finished – this will also highlights any leaks.
How can we help?
If you feel uncomfortable doing this job yourself then a professional roofing company such as Keay Roofing can help.
We can help you look after your guttering by providing yearly clean ups, one off repairs or a full replacement service using cast iron, aluminum or UPVC in a variety of colourways to suit your home.
We undertake:
- Regular gutter clear outs and unblocking
- Replacing leaky or damaged gutter joints and parts
- Gutter re-alignment
- Damage repair including insurance work
- In addition to gutter repairs we can also check and repair fascias (which gutters are attached to) and soffits, to ensure wood is not water damaged and vulnerable.
When replacing gutters, the installation can either be part of a new roofline system, with replacement UPVC or fascia and soffit boards, or simply new guttering fixed to the existing roofline.
For more information on our guttering services or to book a guttering clear out, please call 0800 1577424.
