Gutters are easy to forget about until something goes wrong. Most of the time they quietly carry rainwater off your roof and away from your walls, but once they start to fill with leaves, moss and silt, that water has to go somewhere else, and it is usually somewhere you do not want it. Autumn and early winter are when we see the most blocked gutters across Waterlooville and the rest of Hampshire, as leaves come down and moss loosened by the rain washes off roofs.
Here are seven signs your gutters need clearing, and what you can do about it.
1. Water spilling over the edge when it rains
This is the most obvious sign. If water pours over the front of the gutter in a steady sheet rather than running into the downpipe, there is almost certainly a blockage at the outlet or along the run. Take a look during the next heavy shower: overflowing at one spot often means the outlet or the top of the downpipe is choked with debris.
2. Damp patches or green streaks on your walls
When gutters overflow, the water runs straight down the face of the house. Over time that leaves dark damp patches, green algae streaks on render and brickwork, and sometimes damp showing through on inside walls. If you notice staining directly below the gutter line, the gutter above is the first place to check. Once the gutters are clear, render cleaning and softwashing can remove the staining that has been left behind.
3. Plants or moss growing out of the gutter
Grass, weeds and even small saplings growing along your roofline are a sure sign that silt and organic matter have built up enough to act like soil. By that stage the gutter is holding a lot of weight and very little water is getting through.
4. Sagging or pulling away from the fascia
Wet leaves, moss and standing water are heavy. A gutter that dips in the middle or has started to pull away from its brackets is often carrying a load it was never designed for. Clearing it promptly can stop the brackets and joints being strained further.
5. Dripping joints and stained fascias
When a gutter is full, water sits against the joints for longer and starts to drip through. You may notice dirty tide marks on the front of the gutters and on the white fascia boards behind them. Our soffit and fascia cleaning brings the whole roofline back to a clean finish once the gutters are clear.
6. A mossy roof above
If your roof has a lot of moss on it, your gutters are very likely full of it too. Every heavy downpour washes clumps of moss off the tiles and into the gutter, where it packs down into a dense, spongy mat. That is why we always recommend clearing the gutters as part of roof cleaning, rather than as an afterthought.
7. Gurgling downpipes or puddles at ground level
A downpipe that gurgles, drips from its joints or leaves a puddle around its base when everything else is draining may be partly blocked. Valleys and downpipes are often where debris collects, and they are hard to see from the ground.
Why not just do it yourself?
On a single-storey bungalow with easy access, some homeowners are happy to scoop out a gutter from a ladder. On two- and three-storey houses, or anywhere above a conservatory, it is a different story. Working at height on a ladder is one of the most common causes of serious falls at home, and it is very hard to see inside a gutter, valley or downpipe properly from a ladder anyway.
How we clear gutters
We use an industrial gutter vacuum with a camera system, so most gutters can be cleared from the ground without ladders against your walls. The camera lets us see inside the gutter as we work, and we can send you before and after images so you know the job has been done properly. We clear gutters, valleys and downpipes, and if we spot a problem such as a broken bracket or a leaking joint, we will let you know.
Where work at height is needed, our team is IPAF and PASMA trained and fully insured. You can find out more on our gutter clearing in Waterlooville page, or if you are a little further north, see roof cleaning in Horndean.
How often should gutters be cleared?
For most homes, once a year is a sensible minimum, ideally in late autumn once the leaves have come down. If your house is surrounded by trees or the roof is mossy, twice a year may be worth it. The signs above are the best guide: if you are seeing any of them, it is time to book a clear.
Frequently asked questions
Do you need to come inside my house?
No. Gutter clearing is done entirely from outside.
Can you clear gutters above a conservatory?
In most cases, yes. The gutter vacuum lets us reach gutters that would be awkward or unsafe to reach with a ladder, including those above conservatories and extensions.
Can you clean the roof at the same time?
Yes, and it makes sense to. If the roof is mossy, cleaning it first and then clearing the gutters stops the moss refilling them straight away.
Book your gutter clear
Seeing any of these signs? Call 023 9200 6065, WhatsApp 07769 737673 or request a free quote. We are based in Waterlooville and cover Hampshire, West Sussex and Surrey, Monday to Friday, 8am to 6pm.