How water can damage buildings — maintenance is better than cure

Why does a house have gutters?

Guttering can be traced back thousands of years — builders worked out early on that the best way to preserve a structure was to keep rainwater away from its walls. Gutters protect a building from water and frost damage, and stop water finding its way inside.

What happens when the gutters are blocked?

Blocked guttering overflows, and that water has to go somewhere. Left long enough, it tracks down external walls, finds its way behind render or pointing, and shows up as damp staining or mould internally — often well away from where the actual blockage is.

How often should gutters be cleaned and maintained?

At least once a year is a sensible minimum for most properties, and more often if you are near overhanging trees. It is a small, inexpensive job compared with repairing the damp damage that a season or two of overflow can cause.

What do we check on a building survey?

Guttering, downpipes and their outlets are a routine part of any survey we carry out — because a five-minute check can flag an issue long before it becomes an expensive one.