Gutter Care 101: How to Spot Damage and Prevent Costly Repairs

While your guttering system quietly works in the background most of the time, it’s crucial to inspect and maintain it—especially as colder months approach. Neglecting gutter upkeep can lead to serious damage to your home. Some of the common problems caused by faulty or broken gutters include:

• Erosion of brick and timber.
• Floods in the basement.
• Leaks inside your home.
• Damage to the property’s foundation.
• Landscaping issues.

And even mosquitoes in the stagnant water!

What to Look for When Inspecting Gutters

During an inspection, it’s important to examine the entire guttering system for signs of wear or damage. Some key warning signs to look for are:

• Gaps or breaks at the seams.
• Cracks or splits across the plastic or metal guttering.
• Peeling paint around the gutters.
• Water damage on bricks or timber surrounding the guttering.
• Rust on metal gutters.
• Guttering sagging or pulling away from the building.

All of these can point to poor drainage, potentially causing water to pool and lead to long-term damage like erosion or leaks inside your home.

Top Gutter Maintenance Tips

To keep your guttering in top condition, follow these simple maintenance tips:

1. Regularly Clean Your Gutters.
   Clear out gutters frequently, especially after storms or if your home is near trees that could drop debris into the system. Pick up a gutter cleaning brush at your local Edge trade counter today.
2. Inspect While It’s Raining.
   Check your gutters during heavy rain to spot leaks, sagging, or overflowing areas that may not be visible otherwise.
3. Consider Gutter Guards
   If your gutters are often filling up with debris installing gutter guards could help to reduce blockages. However, ensure they are properly installed, as poorly fitted guards can create their own drainage problems.
4. Test Water Drainage
   Make sure the gutters are effectively channelling water away from your home’s foundations.

Fun Fact: The Most Common Item Found in Gutters? Toys!

It’s not just leaves and twigs that clog gutters—small balls and toys often find their way into the system, creating unexpected blockages.

What to do if your gutters are damaged and need replacing.

If your gutters are beyond repair, the best thing to do is replace either the faulty section, or the whole system. We recommend getting in touch with a local professional to help you install the new gutters. There is plenty of choice available when it comes to choosing new guttering for your home.

PVC Guttering

Perhaps the most recognisable, PVC guttering is a highly popular choice of guttering. It is affordable, low maintenance and available in a choice of colours such as white, black, grey, or brown. PVC guttering is also available in a variety of styles, such as half round, deepflow, ogee, and square. Here at Edge we keep high stock levels of both domestic and industrial PVC guttering.

Steel Guttering

If you’re looking for highly durable guttering, steel is a great option. Steel guttering can hold more water than PVC guttering, without sagging, because it’s a robust alloy material. Steel guttering can also improve the look of your home, with it’s attractive shiny finish.  At Edge, we supply galvanised steel, black and anthracite steel guttering.

Cast Iron Guttering

Cast Iron is a long lasting, and weather-resistant option for guttering. However, these systems are also heavier than other guttering options, and not suitable for all rooflines. Here at Edge, we offer CASTstyle PVC guttering, providing the look and feel of cast iron guttering, but with the lightweight, low maintenance benefits of PVC. This is a great option for those looking for the heritage aesthetic of cast-iron, but need a lighter and more cost-effective option.

Aluminium Guttering

Aluminium guttering provides a contemporary look, ideal for modern buildings. It has a high water capacity, is lightweight and is expected to last over 60 years. We can supply high precision extruded aluminium drainage systems to specification. These systems offer a ‘bolt-less’s joining system, with no visible welds for sharp, clean lines.

Final Thoughts

Guttering maintenance is an essential part of ensuring your home is well protected this winter. Conducting simple visual tests and regular cleaning can extend the life of your current gutters. However, if you need a new system, or are considering an upgrade, we are here to help you find the right one for your home.

To find out more about the various guttering systems offered by Edge, get in touch by emailing [email protected] or calling 0345 021 3333.