Top Tips on Guttering

How to Maintain Gutters

It is essential to keep your guttering in good condition, otherwise you risk serious damage to your home. So a little maintenance for your gutters is well worth the trouble and could save you money in the long-run. These are some of the problems worn guttering can cause to your home:

• Damage to your exterior walls
• Leaks and water stains
• Structural damage
• Unsafe, slippery ground around the property
• Expensive repairs

At G&A Roofing, we’re a leading firm of roof experts and we’re here to help with all your roof repair issues. If you have any concerns about your roof or gutters, call our team of experienced roofers on 0800 626430.

There are a number of steps you can take to make sure you get the best out of your gutters. Below are our tips to make sure that they last you for many years.

Check Your Gutters

You can check your gutters simply by walking around your property, particularly if it is raining. That way you’ll be able to spot leaks straight away. Aim to clean your gutters at least once a year. This is best done in spring and at the start of winter when rainfall is heaviest. If you suspect a leak but can’t see anything, use a mirror to check behind the pipes.

Leaves and other debris can clog up your gutters, causing water to back up or overflow. If you’re lucky enough to live in a leafy area, you might want to check your gutters more often. It may help to buy a leaf guard, which will help to protect your gutters from large objects but you should still check them regularly anyway.

Clean Your Gutters

To clear you gutter, scoop out the offending blockage and run water through to make sure it’s are working again properly. If your downpipe is blocked, it may be a little harder to clear out. Using drainage rods, you should be able to push out the blockage. If your pipe has angles, using a length of wire, such as an old wire coat-hanger to similarly push out the blockage.

Sagging Gutters

If you notice that your gutters are sagging, it could be due to worn brackets or loose screws that hold the brackets. The brackets are there to  make sure that the guttering is level so that water flows smoothly towards the downpipe. You can fix this problem by tightening all the screws and checking the brackets. To be sure, use a spirit level to check that the gutter is even. You can adjust the gutters to manipulate water flow by moving the brackets up or down – just make sure that the water keeps flowing towards the downpipe. If you’re not able to move the brackets, you can lift the gutter by placing a piece of lead between the guttering and the bracket.

Fixing Different Types of Guttering

The type of gutter you have will certainly make a difference to how long it will last. Cast iron or pressed steel gutters provide value for money as they last for many years with the right maintenance – although they may be more difficult to fix by yourself when they do go wrong. You should ensure that they last by painting them annually using zinc chromate paint. For plastic gutters, you can fix small leaks using a sealant. Plastic guttering is most common due because it is easy to install, light-weight and affordable.

Stay Safe

Although it is possible to fix small leaks and gutter damage yourself, you should be competent at DIY and ensure that you have the right tools. Wear hardy gloves if you’re dealing with steel or iron guttering, or you could risk cutting yourself on sharp edges. Also, make sure you have the right length ladders, and never over-stretch to reach the gutter or you could throw yourself off balance. Take all the normal safety precautions and if you have any doubts at all, contact G&A Roofing Services on 0800 626430. We provide specialist roofing advice covering most of the UK.

Guttering doesn’t come in one size but many

When wanting to change the quality of guttering which is installed in a property, there are many factors which need to be taken into consideration. This includes what is the best type of guttering which will meet your expectations followed by the prices that will be charged. Guttering needn’t be expensive especially if an expert company is selected over any others. UPVC guttering continues to be very popular and rightfully so. UPVC guttering is perfect not just for a residential property but a commercial building too.

Therefore, if you are a manager of a company which has dozens of employees but you wish to change the guttering quality because what you have at the moment is starting to show signs of wear and tear, UPVC guttering is perfect for you. As UPVC guttering is designed so that it never leaks, it is hardly surprising that it’s also been chosen by homeowners on a countless number of occasions. UPVC guttering isn’t the only type of plastic guttering which can be purchased because there are multiple other products. Cast iron-style guttering is also incredibly popular especially as it too is designed to last for a very long time. With various styles available, cast iron guttering offers an aesthetic quality which is difficult to find elsewhere especially as the prices which are charged for this particular type of guttering is never expensive. As the quality of plastic guttering is what many companies pride themselves on offering, it is hardly surprising that this item of guttering continues to be chosen by a countless number of homeowners and business managers every year.