Summer is over and Autumn is on its way, it’s getting colder (you’ve probably already turned the central heating on) and the days are getting shorter. Autumn brings with it falling leaves, fruit and debris from trees and this can cause problems if it is not addressed. Leaves can clog gutters and drainpipes leading to blockages, leaks and potentially water damage to your property.
Managing Water on Your Roof
Now is the time to prepare for the coming of Winter and one of the most important things that you need to look at is the management of rainwater on your property, in other words, gutters, drainpipes and outlets.
Gutters need to be cleaned of falling leaves or they will block the movement of rainwater, overflow and potentially cause water to seep into your property. Faulty items are easy to replace but first you need to identify what type of gutter system you have: half round gutter, square gutter,.
It’s important that particular attention is paid to the union brackets (joints), outlets, stop ends and angle pieces that are fitted to gutters as the rubber seals in these can deteriorate over a period of time and if this happens then they will start to leak.
You also need to look for problems in your drainpipes and outlets. Drainpipes come in two designs, Round and Square.
You should check the downpipes by running water down them to see if there are any blockages. If the water does not come out smoothly then dismantle the parts remove the blockage and re-assemble the parts. It’s easy to replace worn or damaged components.
Maintenance for Your Rainwater System
Once your rainwater system is running smoothly you can cut down on any ongoing maintenance by preventing debris and leaves clogging up your gutters and drainpipes. A clever product that helps do this is the Hedgehog which stops debris getting into the gutter but still allows water to pass unhindered. Installing the Hedgehog is simple (it is simply a matter of laying it in the gutter) but will save you a lot of work later especially if you have a number of trees close to your property.