Mr Skill

At least once a year, you should get up a ladder and inspect your guttering to ensure that it is free from debris that may create blockages and prevent rainwater from cleanly running down the drainpipe. It is also a good opportunity whilst up a ladder, to check that your guttering does not have any rust or cracks, and an excuse to ensure that the brickwork at the top of your house is in good condition and that there are no obvious problems on the roof.

To Clean a Gutter

Cut a piece of card or plastic into a “V” shape which will fit inside the gutter run, and fix it to the end of a long stick or broom handle.

Climb up a ladder and use your home made scraper to push debris into small piles. Scoop them up and put them into a bucket. You should not try to push the debris down the drainpipe as it could block it up.

Run water along the gutter to wash it down and check that the water is flowing freely down the drainpipe and not getting trapped inside it. Also check that there are no leaks in the guttering or at the joints.

If the drainpipe is blocked, try using the handle of the broom to unblock it (make sure you have tied it to a piece of string so you can retrieve it!). If this fails to work, you may need the services of a local roofer in London to clear the blockage.

To Repair a Gutter

The best way to repair a broken or leaking section of plastic guttering is to remove the section from the fixing clips by squeezing the top edge of the gutter until it comes away.

Inspect the outlets and joints in which it was sitting and fill any cracks, splits and holes with a mastic sealer.

If the section is too badly damaged, you may have to replace it with a new part available from a London roofing service company.

Replacing the repaired or new section of the guttering is done by reversing the process that you used to remove it. Simply squeeze the top edges of the section together and snap back into the fixing clips.

With new sections of guttering and (replacement parts for cast iron guttering assemblies which have rusted), try to keep the colours and textures the same. By economising and replacing broken guttering with the first piece of plastic that comes to hand, you could be reducing the appeal and value of your home.

To Realign the Pitch

The guttering pitch is the angle at which the rainwater runs along the guttering and into the drainpipe. If the pitch is to shallow, the rain will not run away fast enough and will overspill onto your walls and windows below. If the angle is too steep, during heavy periods of rain the water will speed towards the end caps of the guttering and splash over the top, rather than going down the drainpipe.

Usually the pitch is incorrect when a loose bracket has come away from the brickwork or wooden board at the edge of the roof.

To realign the pitch, lift the affected section(s) of the gutter to the correct height and support by hammering a nail into the wall.

Refix the bracket that holds the gutter using new screws and raw plugs. Brick fixed brackets may have adjusting nuts which will make finding the right pitch easier.

Check that you have the pitch right by running a hose into the far end of the guttering and watching it run away.

Safety Tips

Have somebody strong holding your ladder

If possible, tie or secure it to the wall (not the drainpipe)

Do not work up a ladder if you are tired

You should not work up a ladder in high winds or in heavy rain

Be careful not to overreach

Wear protective goggles and gloves

Although this jobs can be done yourself, if you lack confidence when up a ladder or feel that some of the jobs may be too strenuous for you, please use of the recommended local roofers in London as featured in our Tradesmen´s Directory.