As autumn approaches, it’s essential for private homeowners and managers of larger premises to ensure their gutters are ready for the season ahead. Proper maintenance now can help prevent potential issues later.

When temperatures drop, deciduous trees lose their leaves in preparation for the winter, conserving resources for the hard times and reducing their instability in high winds.

This is all good for the trees but can cause problems for nearby buildings.

Problems caused by fallen leaves

When leaves fall onto roofs and get washed into guttering, they rot down and clump into persistent blockages.

This leads to problems for the building and its users, whether they are members of your family, customers and employees of a commercia property, college students or residents in a hospital or care home:

  • Water damage to structures and foundations from gutters overflowing down walls
  • Water getting under shingles to damage roofs
  • The weight of the organic mass and trapped water can bring down an entire gutter
  • The damp can cause damp mould to form on inside walls
  • Pests such as insects can breed in trapped water and birds nest in neglected gutters
  • Ice dams can form if trapped water freezes
  • Uncared-for gutters look and smell bad and can leave unsightly stains on walls.

Prevention is better than cure

In the middle of winter it might require a climb up a ladder to sort a gutter problem out, with the inherent wet, cold and risk of a fall this implies. Alternatively, you can take preventative measures now, while the weather is kinder, to stop leaves from accumulating in your guttering:

  • Gutter guards, either in the form of mesh screens or brushes, can prevent leaves from settling in gutters or getting into downpipes. They should be sited where your guttering is most vulnerable, for example above a downpipe or below overhanging trees.
  • Clear and wash out your guttering and ensure it’s properly fitted after the worst leaf falls in autumn but before winter starts. Ensure you don’t ignore any gutter guards which can cause problems with overflowing water and mould if unmaintained.
  • Cut back any overhanging branches, or remove problematic trees nearby, though the latter is an extreme resort to a severe and recurring problem.
  • Ensure you have a regular gutter maintenance programme in place, preferably with a professional contractor who has the required equipment, safety measures and training to do the job.

If you run a business or complex operation from commercial premises, where leaks, floods or damage could disrupt your operation or deter visitors, this will cost you income. The authorities may even get involved if public health and safety are put at risk, with all the damage done to your reputation.

Instead of waiting until you have a problem, at Drain and Sewer Services we support our customers for 12 months of the year, through pre-planned maintenance contracts tailored to their needs.

Our trained teams use the latest specialist equipment to inspect and maintain guttering and drains with the minimum of disruption. Even difficult-to-reach gutters can be cleaned safely and without ladders, using our Skyvac suction unit and CCTV attached to an extendable carbon fibre pole to inspect problem areas for blockages.

Our full range of services support all the time-critical and complex needs of large, busy public premises, including:

  • Unblocking drains, culverts, sewers and guttering
  • Maintaining, emptying and cleaning septic tanks
  • Dealing with, and replacing, burst water mains
  • Surveys, testing and routine checks using state-of-the-art, remote-controlled CCTV camera systems
  • Groundworks, including hardstanding, roads and walkways (we are NSWRA accredited to work on public roads)

Give Drain and Sewer Services a call

Whether you are a homeowner, a business owner with a single commercial premises, or you are responsible for multiple premises on different sites, such as an academy or health trust, we offer peace of mind through our one-stop service to keep you operating.

Talk to one of our team at Drain and Sewers on 01252 312738 or email us at info@drainandsewer.co.uk to find out how we can help you.