How To Maintain Your Gutters This Christmas

How Can Winter Cause Gutter Damage?

Extreme weather conditions, such as storms, snow and ice, often happen in the winter months, and can cause a whole heap of problems for your rainwater drainage system. 

Last winter, the UK experienced 12 named storms – the highest number since the Met Office introduced the naming system in 2015. As a result, over a fifth of UK residents have experienced storm damage to their home in the last five years. These storms typically reach their peak between October and March, with December being reported as seeing the highest percentage of storm claims (30%) in 2023.

Not only can winter storms cause problems for your gutters, but the snow and ice that comes with the colder months can also play a part. Because water expands when it freezes, it can push open the seams of sectional gutters and create cracks. Accumulated ice and snow is also heavy, this excess weight can cause gutters to sag, gutter brackets to give in, and even whole gutter systems to collapse. Gutter joints/connections are especially prone to damage inflicted by snow and ice.

Other common gutter issues to look out for in the winter months can include:

• Ice dams – a layer of ice that forms around the gutter edge, preventing drainage.
• Separating downpipes – a separation at the seams of a downpipe that usually occurs at ground level, stopping the pipe from being able to guide wastewater into the drainage system.
• Cracked gutters – can be identified by dark staining on external walls, produced as a result of leaking, contaminated wastewater.
• Misshapen tiling or brickwork – your roof can become distorted/misshapen as a result of either overflowing or blocked gutters, which can cause internal leaks and flooding.
• Detached gutters – identified by a single, heavy and consistent stream of water pouring from the roof, which can damage external walls and weaken gutter joints.

If you are experiencing any of the above issues, you should arrange a professional inspection, to assess and repair any problems.

How Can I Maintain My Gutters This Christmas?

Here are a few tips you can use to keep your gutter system safe this Christmas.

Clean Your Gutters and Downpipes

Cleaning your gutters and downpipes is one of the first things you should do to prevent damage in the winter months. The build-up of leaves, twigs and other seasonal debris, can cause blockages and reduce the speed at which water drains from your gutter system. Both of these issues can make the development of ice dams more likely.

How Often Should I Clean My Gutters?

The majority of experts agree that you should clean your gutters at least once or twice a year, usually once in the spring and once in autumn after the leaves have fallen.

How Do I Clean My Gutters?

1. Start by removing any debris, e.g. leaves, twigs, etc.
2. Clean off mould and algae with a bleach solution and a sponge, any household cleaner with a bleach base will work.

Inspect Gutters For Structural Damage

Structural damage in your gutter system can also cause blockages and prevent water from draining properly. Here’s what you should look out for:

• Sagging – normally occurs at gutter seams.
• Dents – any dented gutters will need repairing or replacing, as dents decrease your gutter system’s flow capacity.
• Excessive sloping – gutters are supposed to slope downwards slightly towards the downpipe, however, the highest point of your gutter should be just ⅝ of an inch higher than its lowest point. Use string as a guide to measure your gutter slopes.

Remove Rust From Your Gutters

Rust develops as a result of exposure to moisture, which can happen in your gutter system if it is constantly exposed to heavy rain/snow, humidity, debris build-up, etc. Rust will eventually weaken your gutters, leading to costly repairs or replacements.

So, when you notice rust appearing on your gutters and downpipes, the best thing to do is remove it. You can do this with a scouring pad or rust-removing cleaner.

Choose Seamless Aluminium Guttering

The best way to prevent all of the above and keep your gutters safe this Christmas (and all year round!) is to choose InterCounty’s Seamless Aluminium Guttering.

A much smarter choice than other common alternatives, such as plastic and wood, our revolutionary seamless aluminium gutters:

✔️ Have ZERO joints in the running length of the gutter, meaning NO leaks!

✔️ Will NOT rust or rot

✔️ Use BBA approved aluminium coil, double-coated on both sides for maximum durability

✔️ Are manufactured by our specialists on-site to suit your exact measurements 

✔️ Are virtually maintenance-free with no need for painting

✔️ Are strong enough to take a leaning ladder

✔️ Handle storms with ease

✔️ Have 3 times the flow capacity of a standard half-round plastic gutter

✔️ Are lightweight to minimise strain on your fascia

✔️ Have an excellent snow-loading capacity

✔️ Have a 2-year warranty and a 30+ year life expectancy

✔️ Are environmentally friendly and much easier to recycle than PVC alternatives✔️ Can be powder-coated in any RAL colour of your choice!

Why Choose InterCounty?

Here at InterCounty, we are proud to be one of the first companies in the UK to have answered to a strong demand for low-maintenance property solutions back in 1982, meaning you won’t find a wider range of aluminium rainwater drainage products anywhere else! We offer a comprehensive selection of Seamless Aluminium Gutters, Sectional Aluminium Gutters, Aluminium Downpipes, Aluminium Hopper Heads and Architectural Aluminium.

Not only is our team of specialists highly-skilled manufacturers, but we’re also suppliers and installers – so we can be there for you right from the start of your enquiry, all the way until project completion. Need us to match our product sizes to your bespoke measurements? No problem! Our seamless aluminium gutters are manufactured on-site using a specialist mobile rolling machine in order to fit your exact property requirements.

Get a Free, No-Obligation, Quick Quote!

If you’d like to find out more about our Seamless and Sectional Aluminium Guttering and Aluminium Downpipes, or any of our other aluminium rainwater drainage systems, get in touch with us to discuss your project requirements today. Our friendly and knowledgeable team are always happy to help, simply give us a call on 0161 768 5282 or email us at sales@intercountyseamless.co.uk. Or, if you prefer, visit our website to fill in the contact form with your details and we will get back to you as soon as possible.
If you have any questions about our products, why not visit our FAQs page for more information? If you can’t find an answer to your question, please don’t hesitate to get in touch.