Guttering does one job: move rainwater off the roof and away from the walls. When it stops doing that job, the water goes somewhere else, and that somewhere is usually into your brickwork.
What blocks gutters here
Leaves are the obvious one, particularly on tree lined roads inland at Sidlesham, Aldingbourne and around Arundel. Closer to the coast the bigger culprits are moss washed down off the roof, wind blown grit, and nesting material. Roof moss is worth watching, because a roof shedding moss will block gutters again within months of being cleared.
The two minute check
Wait for heavy rain, put a coat on and walk around the house. You are looking for three things: water spilling over the front edge of a gutter, water running down the outside of a downpipe rather than inside it, and any joint that is dripping steadily. Note where each one happens.
Signs the damage has already started
Green algae or a dark vertical stain on the wall below a gutter joint. Damp patches on an internal wall in the same position. Peeling paint on fascia boards. Rotten timber at the ends of the roofline. Any of those mean water has been getting where it should not for a while.
Fascias and soffits
These take the brunt of any overflowing gutter. Timber ones rot, and once the timber goes soft the gutter brackets have nothing solid to hold onto. Replacing with uPVC gives you a roofline that will not rot, warp or peel, and it does not need painting.
How often to clear them
Once a year as a minimum, twice if you have trees nearby or a mossy roof. Autumn, after the leaves have finished dropping, is the sensible time. It is a small job that prevents a genuinely expensive one.
We clear, repair and replace guttering right across the South Coast, and we will tell you honestly whether yours needs replacing or simply clearing out.