Blocked Gutters: The Signs, the Damage and How Often to Clear Them

Blocked gutters are one of the most common things we find on houses around Tadley, and one of the easiest to put right. If water spills over the edge when it rains, plants are growing along the top, or there’s a dark streak running down the wall, your gutters are probably blocked. Most homes need them clearing once a year. Twice if you’ve got trees close by.

Here’s what to look for from the ground, what happens if you leave it, and when it’s worth getting someone up a ladder.

What actually blocks a gutter?

Leaves are the obvious one, especially from October to December. But they’re not the only culprit. Moss that grows on the roof dries out in summer, breaks off and slides straight down into the gutter. Old concrete tiles shed grit as they wear, and that settles in the bottom like sand. Add the odd bird’s nest, a lost tennis ball or two, and you’ve got a dam.

Round here it’s mostly trees. A lot of homes in Tadley, Baughurst and Pamber Heath sit close to woodland, and anywhere along the Kennet Valley the roofs stay damp for longer, which means more moss and more muck in the gutters.

Signs your gutters are blocked

You can check most of these from the garden, ideally while it’s raining:

• Water pouring over the front edge instead of running to the downpipe.
• Grass or small plants growing along the gutter line. If something can grow in there, there’s soil in there.
• A gutter that sags or has started to pull away from the fascia. Wet debris is heavy.
• Dark or green streaks on the wall or the fascia boards below the gutter.
• Dripping at the joints long after the rain has stopped.
• A downpipe that doesn’t run, or a puddle and washed-out soil at the bottom of the wall.
• A damp patch inside, usually on an upstairs ceiling or wall right under where the gutter runs.

What happens if you leave them?

A gutter that overflows now and then won’t bring the house down. The trouble is what the water does over a few winters.

It runs down the face of the wall instead of into the drain, so the brickwork stays wet and the mortar starts to wash out. It soaks into the back of the fascia boards, and timber that stays wet goes soft. If the gutter is badly blocked, water can back up under the bottom row of tiles and into the roof edge. And in a cold snap, a gutter full of wet leaves freezes, gets heavier still and can crack or drag the brackets loose.

None of that happens overnight. That’s exactly why it gets missed until there’s a damp patch on the bedroom ceiling.

How often should gutters be cleared?

• Once a year for most houses, in late autumn once the leaves are down.
• Twice a year if you’ve got trees overhanging or close by: late autumn and again in spring.
• After a big storm, if you can see the gutters are full or water is going over the edge.
• Whenever the roof is cleaned, because the moss that comes off ends up in the gutters. We always clear them on the same visit.

If you want a simple list for the time of year, our autumn roof and gutter checklist goes through the lot.

Can I clear them myself?

On a bungalow with flat, firm ground and someone footing the ladder, plenty of people do. Wear gloves, scoop the muck into a bucket, and don’t lean the ladder against the gutter itself, because it isn’t built to take the weight.

On a two-storey house it’s a different story. Falls from ladders are one of the most common accidents at home, and a gutter clean is a long job with your arms out and your weight shifting. If you’re not used to working at height, it’s not worth the risk.

What we do when we clear gutters

We clear the gutters by hand from the ladder, bag everything up and take it away. Then we check the downpipes are running freely, look at the joints and brackets, and take before-and-after photos so you can see the bits you can’t see from the ground.

If we spot a leaking joint, a loose bracket or a section that’s started to sag, we show you the photos and tell you straight. Small repairs we can often do there and then, but only if you’re happy for us to. You can read more on our gutter cleaning and repairs page, and if the roof above is turning green, our roof cleaning page explains how we take the moss off by hand.

Gutter questions we get asked

Do gutter guards stop gutters blocking?

They help with leaves, but they’re not a fix-and-forget. Moss and tile grit still get through or sit on top, so the gutters still need checking. Under heavy trees they can be worth it. Elsewhere, a yearly clear usually does the job.

Do you clear the downpipes as well?

Yes. A clean gutter is no use if the downpipe is choked, so we always check they run.

Do I need to be at home?

Not usually. As long as we can get to the house safely, we’ll send you the photos when we’re done.

How much does it cost?

It depends on the size of the house, how many runs there are and how easy it is to get to. We don’t guess. We come out for a free visit, look at it properly and give you a fixed price in writing, and that’s the price you pay.

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