Make a habit of clearing your gutters twice a year, in spring and autumn. If you don't, they may become clogged, with nesting birds or fallen leaves. Move debris from gutters with a garden trowel and stiff brush, transferring the material to a bucket suspended from an S hook on your ladder.
With the worst of the debris removed, use a garden hose on jet to swill any remaining dirt in the direction of the downpipes. The flow of water will also help to check that the gutters are in good condition and that the fall will carry all the water away.
If you find a blockage in a down pipe, don't push it down. Try pulling it up with a piece of hooked wire. If this fails, hire drain rods or other equipment from a local hire shop or contact a firm who specialise in clearing drains through the Yellow Pages.
To keep gutters clear, you can fit special gutter guards made from wire netting, which clip onto the gutter. But keep an eye on them if there are trees nearby. Leaves can build up on top of the netting, directing water away from the gutter instead of into it.
Protect the tops of downpipes with a metal or plastic balloon cage that fits inside the top of the pipe. This will prevent birds from trying to nest in the hollow where pipe and gutter meet - a very common cause of downpipe blockages.
Screwfix is the UK's largest direct and online supplier of trade tools, accessories and hardware products. To view their range of guttering customers can visit the website here: http://www.screwfix.com/c/heating-plumbing/white-square-line/cat831720.
