Rainwater Goods: Repair or Replace?

Given the British climate, it’s fair to say that water is probably the biggest threat to our homes. If it gets into the fabric and starts saturating the core materials, this could lead to mould, decay and – ultimately – structural failure.

It’s crucial, then, that rainwater is properly collected and channelled away from your home via well-maintained guttering. But it’s not just about the practicalities: more often than not, these goods are highly visible elements of your property, so they need to look smart and in-keeping with the architecture, too.

Maintenance & repair

Assessing the state of your guttering and downpipes doesn’t have to be taxing. Ideally, you should give the system a check over at least once a year – and the best time to do it is in late autumn after the trees have shed their leaves. This way, you can catch any blockages and other issues before the worst of the weather sets in.

If it’s raining, it will be even easier to spot signs of damage (bear in mind if you’re going up at height you should only do so if you have a suitably safe ladder or platform).

Rain will hit the roof covering first, so make sure there are no obvious signs of damage to the tiles. Follow the path the water would take as it passes through the guttering and downpipes and look for obvious issues such as blockages, cracks, rust etc.

Even if there are signs of damage, it may be possible to repair parts of the setup rather than go through the costly process of replacing it wholesale. Here are some simple steps you can take to help keep the system in good nick:

Give it a clean: If gutters are blocked, they’ll overflow – potentially allowing water into soffits, fascias and rafter ends. It may even seep into the wall as it runs downwards. Meanwhile, obstructions in the downpipes could lead to water freezing, and as it expands it can cause cracks.

So, get some heavy duty rubber gloves on and clear out any leaves or other debris. Afterwards, flush the setup with a garden hose to check everything’s in order.

Consider adding guards: Maintaining your gutters in the future will be a whole lot easier with guards in place to minimise the amount of debris that gets into the system. These can take the form of grilles and meshes that clip over the top, or brush-type versions that sit in the conduit.

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