Gutters have one job to do and that’s to guide rainwater from your roof straight down the drain. But if they become clogged with fallen leaves, moss, mud or other bits of debris, the water can back up, and you can end up with damp walls, wood rot and peeling paint.
Far from being a mere accessory to your building, clean gutters are crucial to preserving the structural integrity of your home. Whether you have plastic, cast iron or pressed steel gutters, they should be cleaned at least once a year so that they do the job they were designed to do.
What are the causes of blocked and damaged gutters?
The two most common gutter problems are blockages in the gutter itself, and blockages in the downpipes. These are often caused by a combination of mud, fallen leaves and moss. The simple way to tell if your gutters need cleaning or repairing is to step outside when it’s raining and check if water is running down the side of your house. If it is, then you can be sure your there’s a blockage somewhere, and you need to get it dealt with.
Leaking gutter joints are another problem and are one of the most common causes of damp in homes across the UK. If you have a damp wall, first check your gutters. When debris gets stuck in the gutter joints leaks can result. These can be slow and difficult to spot.
Another sign of damage to look out for is sagging gutters. Sagging normally happens when gutters are weighed down by debris and collected water, or if the screws or brackets have come away from the wall. Regular gutter cleaning will make sure you’ll spot any problems like these and will save you having to fix a major problem later.
How to fix blocked or damaged gutters
If your gutters are blocked or you think they may be damaged, call in the professionals. They can give you advice on how to clean and clear debris from the gutters and downpipes and show you how to repair plastic gutter seams. And if you don’t fancy doing the job yourself, why not get them to sort it out for you?
If you’re going to attempt to clean the gutters yourself you’ll need a tall ladder, some thick gloves, a garden hose, a long piece of stiff wire, some plastic garden bags to dispose of the debris, and a scraping/scooping tool. If your gutters are made from PVC it’s best to use a plastic scraping tool rather than a metal one, so as not to cause any damage.
Once you’ve identified a blockage, remove the big pieces of debris from the gutter with a scoop. If the blockage is in the downpipe, use the long piece of wire to make a hole in the middle of the blockage, then run water from the hose down the hole. In no time at all the debris should begin to break up and clear away.
Once you’ve cleared and cleaned all the gutters and downpipes, aim the hose onto your roof and check that the water runs freely along the gutters and down the downpipes. It’s important to fix leaking gutter joints as soon as possible. Sometimes, just by removing the section of guttering and cleaning between the joints can solve the problem, as dirt can force your gutters apart. If you spot any cracks, fill these with sealant.
Gutter maintenance
Most gutter cleaning companies recommend that you clean your gutters at least once a year. The best time to do this is when the autumn leaves have fallen and before the really bad winter weather sets in. It’s also a good idea to check your gutters again in early spring. Remove any large pieces of debris that have built up over the winter months and check that all the screws are in place and tight and that none of the brackets have come loose.
You should also check the gutters after any heavy snow has fallen to make sure all is in order. If your neighbours have a lot of trees, your gutters will almost certainly fill with leaves and debris. If this is the case, you can always install gutter guards. These act as filters, catching leaves and preventing them from falling into your gutters and downpipes, while still allowing water to pass through.
