What Actually Happens If You Never Clear Your Gutters?

The Direct Answer

Blocked gutters do not announce themselves. Water just stops flowing where it should and starts going somewhere it should not: over the front edge in heavy rain, down behind the fascia board, or pooling against the brickwork at ground level. None of that is visible from the ground on a dry day, which is why gutters that have never been cleared often look fine right up until the damage underneath them does not.

Where the water actually goes instead

• Over the front, not through the downpipe. A blocked gutter overflows in a sheet down the wall below it, which is the visible sign most people eventually notice.
• Behind the fascia. Standing water and debris sit against the board and the roofline timber behind it, which is how fascias start to rot from a gutter problem rather than their own.
• Against the foundations. Water that overflows at ground level for years rather than running away through the drainage system it was designed for is a slow, unglamorous way to get damp problems.

Why it is easy to miss for a long time

A moderately blocked gutter still copes with light rain. The problem only shows itself in a proper downpour, by which point whoever is watching has usually gone back inside. Years can pass with only the heaviest two or three days of weather a year actually revealing there is an issue at all.

FAQ: How would I actually know mine need doing?

Without getting on a ladder, the only reliable way is to watch during heavy rain for water sheeting over the front rather than running through the downpipe. Otherwise, we check and show you camera footage so there is no guessing.

FAQ: What does clearing them cost?

£90 to £225 depending on size and how bad they have got. Full detail on the gutter clearing page.

07467 214446 or WhatsApp for a price.