Don't let your gutters drain your resources

Roll up your sleeves, pull on a pair of rubber gloves and dig that ladder out of the shed - it's time to celebrate National Gutters Day 2008! Although it might not be the most glamorous date in your diary, Friday November 28th is the day when spending just a little time to clear leaves and other debris from your gutters and drains could actually save you from having to spend hundreds of pounds at a later date to put right any damage caused by blockages.

National Gutters Day was established by The Society for the Protection of Ancient Buildings, Britain's oldest heritage charity. This annual event marks the end of the Society's National Maintenance Week - an awareness campaign designed to encourage everyone who owns or looks after a building to take a few simple steps at the beginning of winter to ensure that their property is ready for anything that the season can throw at them, especially in these increasingly wet, windy and unpredictable days.

It's a message that's relevant to every building, whether it's hundreds of years old or brand new, whether it's a moated manor house or a suburban semi.

Water damage is a particular concern. The annual clearing of gutters and drains can be much cheaper and less inconvenient than having to cope with a serious outbreak of dry rot in timber roof trusses following years of neglect, or dealing with a flooded basement or ground floor because of a blocked drain.

The ever-practical Romans actually had a goddess of the drains - Cloacina. These days, instead of seeking divine inspiration, simply visit SPAB's dedicated website, maintainyourbuilding.org.uk which is packed with helpful information to help you give your house a top to toe (or gutter to drain) maintenance ‘MOT' this winter.

SPAB's Top Tips for Gutters and Drainage Systems

- Every spring and autumn, clear any plants, leaves and silt from gutters, hopperheads, flat roofs and drainage channels
- Look for blocked downpipes (best done during heavy rain to see water coming from any leaky joints - in dry weather look for stained brickwork)
- Keep gullies at ground level clear and have them cleaned out if necessary
- Remove vegetation from behind downpipes by cutting back or removing the plant altogether
- Use a hand mirror to look behind rainwater pipes as splits and cracks in old cast iron and aluminium often occur there and are not easily noticed
- Fit bird/leaf guards to the tops of soil pipes and rainwater outlets to prevent blockages.
- Check that gutters junctions are watertight by watching them in rainy conditions
- Have gutters refixed if they are sloping the wrong way or discharging water onto the wall
- If sections are beyond repair, make sure that replacements are made of the same material as the originals (on older houses, this is sometimes lead, but more usually cast iron)
- Regular painting of cast iron is essential to prevent rust.