Professional gutter cleaners should always check your downpipes are clear as part of their service. They will  unblock your downpipes and test to the drains. If the downpipe is not working efficiently enough this will cause the water to sit in the gutters instead of expelling it away from the house causing more issues with the weight inside the gutters.  It is the one thing we have only briefly mentioned but also play a major part carrying the rain water to the drain.

If the gutters haven’t been cleaned in a while, there could be a partial blockage of debris lower down in the downpipes. 

When it rains check that the water is free flowing into the drain, if you don’t see much water then this could be an indication that the down pipe is actually blocked. 

Whilst your gutters may be super clean this does not necessarily main that your down pipe is too, so always have them checked. 

Look after your guttering

Maintaining your guttering plays an important role to protect your home. If you take good care of it, it will prevent damage that can easily be avoided. Damaged or blocked guttering can potentially cause extensive damage over time to your home. Make sure minor repairs are always seen too,  keep the guttering clear and clean,  and spot problems when they appear. 

Having your gutters cleaned a couple of times a year will keep your guttering problem free for many years to come. 

Common causes of blocked downpipes

1: Pine needles are quite small but large volumes of them can easily block your downpipes when it large quantity.

2: Leaves are the most common cause of blockages especially if you have trees above your property, so this will leave you with increased risk of blockages.

3: Small twigs and sticks are another common problem, the more trees you have near your home the more likely you will end up with these in your gutters/downpipes.

4: Plants grow in your gutters and downpipes if your gutters are left with vegetation in them over time. 

5: Broken roof tiles and cement withstand a lot of wear and tear due too continual exposure to the weather. This can then cause them to deteriorate and quite often crumble into the guttering. 

6: Its very common for moss to form in your gutters because of a build up of moisture and finds its way into your downpipes. 

Whilst our gutter clearing and gutter cleaning services will restore your gutters back to working order, prevention is always better than cure. We recommend  Hedgehog Gutter Guard. These sit in your guttering, making it considerably more difficult for leaves and other debris to accumulate and will probably only need your gutters maintaining once a year with these in place, dependant on the number of trees around your property. Also recommended are Downpipe Filters. This significantly reduces the likelihood of them becoming blocked in the future and prolong your gutters.