If you own or manage a building, the humble gutter deserves more attention than it gets. Rainwater goods, meaning the gutters, hoppers, downpipes and outlets that carry water off a roof, are among the cheapest parts of a building to maintain. When they fail, the water goes where it should not, into walls, timbers and ceilings, and the repair bill can run to many times the cost of the maintenance that would have prevented it.
How the damage happens
- A blocked gutter overflows and saturates the wall below, often for months before anyone notices.
- A cracked or leaking joint in a cast iron downpipe soaks the brickwork behind it, where it cannot be seen.
- Hidden gutters, such as parapet and valley gutters, overflow inside the building rather than outside it.
- Persistent wetting leads to decayed timbers, failed render, frost damage to brick and stone, and damp inside.
Signs to look for
- green or dark staining on walls below gutters and around downpipes
- plants growing from gutters or hoppers
- water spilling over during heavy rain
- rust, splits or missing brackets
- damp patches inside, near the top of walls or around chimney breasts
What to do each autumn
- Clear everything after leaf fall. Gutters, hoppers and outlets should be cleared at least once a year, and twice where there are trees nearby.
- Watch it working. Look at the building during heavy rain. It is the quickest way to find a problem.
- Repair joints and brackets before the winter, and paint cast iron to keep it sound.
- Check below ground. A blocked gully or drain will back water up the downpipe.
- Plan safe access. High level work needs proper access, so combine it with other roof maintenance where you can.
Historic buildings
On older and listed buildings, cast iron and lead rainwater goods are often part of the character. Repair is usually better than replacement, and like for like materials avoid the need for consent and keep the building looking right.
Build it into the plan
Rainwater goods belong in every planned maintenance programme, with regular clearance and a cycle of redecoration and renewal. It is a small, predictable cost that protects the much larger ones.
Our Planned Preventative Maintenance service builds these routines into long term plans. See our ten year plan for a listed mill complex.