Maintenance of Rainwater Goods for Winter

Have you checked your hopper heads are firmly attached to your downpipes? Are your gutters clean, unclogged ready for winter conditions? It’s important to check rainwater goods at this time of year when trees are shedding their leaves and before winter sets in, to keep the outside drainage system of your home working efficiently. 

Whilst it’s wonderful to watch the autumn leaves change their hue and fall from the trees they can cause havoc, clogging gutters and obstructing drains. Even a small blockage can cause water to back up and flood the surrounding area and possibly penetrate a property; we recommend setting aside some time every week to clear leaves and debris from drains and pipes to keep the drainage system working efficiently. 

Water is the main cause for decay in most traditional buildings. In many cases, regular maintenance and repair of rainwater goods can vastly improve a property’s condition without having to resort to expensive and intrusive interventions. This maintenance should be carried out from the roof right down to the ground and it’s a good idea to go out and check your building in the rain – this can highlight issues and leaks you might not always see if you do your maintenance on dry days. 

Check pipes for any holes, cracks or signs of deterioration. Pipes and gutters should be repainted periodically to protect from rust and corrosion, check the condition of paint and consider repainting if necessary to prolong their life. Damaged drainage castings can often be repaired, and our expert engineers can help with replacing a missing piece or welding a broken section. 

 We can even replace ornate pieces by taking a cast of the design and replicating it, in many cases this provides a cost-effective alternative to replacement and is especially useful to preserve items of architectural interest.  

The base of your property should also be checked to make sure that drains and drainage channels are clear and any plants growing against the foundation of a building should be removed; non-breathable surfaces like tarmac should not come right up to external walls. 

With issues of increased rain due to the changing climate, maintenance may be needed more regularly in the future and if your rainwater goods are well maintained and still failing, they may need to be widened or sympathetically added to in order to prevent ongoing issues. 

To find out more about our repair service, click here.