Whatever the material used for guttering, an accumulation of material such as leaves dirt or
other debris washed off the roof can lead to a blockage in the system. Regular annual inspections
often show an accumulation of material, which can be removed with a scraper or trowel. At the
junction of the gutter and the downpipe, place a proprietary wire balloon or a crushed ball of
chicken wire at the outlet to help prevent further blockages in the downpipe.
Clearing an angled pipe
Use a stiff wire from the top and push downward to remove the blockage.
Clearing a downpipe
If the downpipe is blocked, use drainage rods from above and push downwards to remove the blockage.
A cloths prop can also be used if long enough. To avoid further blockages occurring, at the
junction of the gutter and the downpipe, place a proprietary wire balloon or a crushed ball
of chicken wire at the outlet.
Sagging gutters
If you have already checked all sections of the guttering and downpipes for blockages and have
not found the source of the overflow, check the line of gutter. If it is sagging in places,
the brackets could need replacing. It could just need screws replacing loose fittings or the
bracket could have perished and be in need of replacement.
If the spillage is still occurring
use a spirit level to check that the gutter is sloping toward the downpipe and not away from
it. If there is a problem here, reset the bracket to a lower position at the outlet end. The
other end can be slightly lifted by placing a small strip of lead under the gutter, between
the bracket and gutter.
Cast iron gutters
Older properties have cast iron guttering. These will be long lasting if painted regularly to
prevent rusting. The insides should be primed with zinc chromate paint. The finishing coat
should be a bituminous paint. They are heavy and their fastenings should be maintained and
checked at regular intervals. Overlapping the two lengths of gutter and bolting them together
makes the joints in cast iron guttering. The joint needs to be sealed to prevent water leaking
from the junction.
Repairing a leaking joint
If water has been seeping through the joint for some time, the joint is probably too rusty
to unbolt. If this is the case, use a hacksaw to remove the bolt and drill out any remaining
pieces. Use a chisel to lever the two sections of gutter apart. Remove the perished sealant
by scraping it away and clean the area with a wire brush. Apply fresh sealant and using a new
nut and bolt, bolt the two sections back together again. Remove any excess sealant seeping
from the joint and paint the inside of the gutter. The insides should be primed with zinc
chromate paint. The finishing coat should be a bituminous paint.
Repairing small holes in the gutter
If there are small holes in the gutter, then its life is limited. Repairs can be made using
kits consisting of metal sticky tape. This is applied with a bitumen adhesive to the inside
of the guttering over the problem areas.
