November 8th, 2022 by Sarah Miles

Winter brings harsh weather and that can mean that external areas of the house can take a real battering. You can’t do anything about the weather, but there are steps you can take to protect the areas of your home that are most at risk. Doing a few small checks and fixes now can potentially save you a whole lot of bother (and money) later.

Protecting gutters and downpipes

The reason guttering is high risk is due to water accumulation. When water freezes, it expands, and this can cause gutters and pipes to crack and joints to pop out of place. In theory, the water in your guttering should flow freely, down the pipes and into the drain and it won’t freeze. However, if the gutters are blocked with things like leaves, dirt, birds’ nest and other debris, they won’t flow properly, and this is when you get issues.

You also need to be vigilant for any existing flaws, such as small cracks and holes as these will almost certainly worsen over the winter if left unresolved.

Here are our top tips for preparing your guttering for winter:

1. Ensure guttering is clear before winter starts
   Accumulating debris in guttering is almost unavoidable so we’d advise you to check them in mid to late autumn, once the initial leaf fall is over. Remove any foreign objects you find in there and give it a good clean.
    
2. Clear the drain
   There is no point having a clear gutter if the drain it feeds into is blocked, so check this as well. A blocked drain will cause water to back up and this can cause flooding.
    
3. Check for signs of disrepair
   Once the guttering is clear, you should be able to give it a once over to check for signs of holes or cracks. A good trick is to pour water along it to see whether you can spot any drips or leaks and also to check that it flows easily through to the drain.
    
4. Deal with any flaws
   Cracks and holes in guttering or pipes must be dealt with now as they will almost certainly cause problems as the weather gets colder and wetter. Sealing them up is easy as you can use a product such as Pro-Kleen Instant Waterproof Sealant Spray. Just spray it on and it will seal gaps up within minutes. It is suitable for outdoor use as it won’t crack or perish in cold, hot, or wet weather.
    
5. Secure the downpipes
   As well as the guttering itself, you need to check the downpipes that direct the water into the drain. As well as checking for cracks, make sure the brackets are securely fastened to the wall and that all joints are aligned and in place. Give them a little nudge to make sure there’s no movement. Finally, you can really help prevent issues with freezing if you lag them to protect them from the cold.

What to do in an emergency

Doing all of the above will help reduce the risk of any issues over the winter but sometimes things do happen, such as storm damage or general wear and tear. Watch out for tell-tale signs such as drips coming from guttering where there shouldn’t be any. This is where having the sealant spray to hand is really useful as it can offer you a quick fix, helping you avert a bigger later. Just give it a spray and it will be watertight within 30 minutes. You can even repair larger holes. Just use some gauze to give the spray purchase.