--- title: Repairing Roofing Guttering date: 2018-08-09T16:36:00+01:00 author: Josh Mustafa canonical_url: "https://www.assetsure.com/homes/home-insurance/repair-roofing-guttering/" section: News --- Our Customers Love Us! Home Insurance [Trustpilot](https://uk.trustpilot.com/review/assetsure.com) ### Get a Quote [Get Quote](https://intasure.com/home-insurance/?introducer=59999022) [Home](/) › [Property Insurance](https://www.assetsure.com/homes/) › [Home Insurance](https://www.assetsure.com/homes/home-insurance/) › [Repairing Roofing Guttering](https://www.assetsure.com/homes/home-insurance/repair-roofing-guttering/) # Repairing Roofing Guttering It essential to undertake regular maintenance on gutters and down pipes in your home to remove blockages so that rainwater does not flow down the side of your walls causing possible penetrating damp into the interior of the property. Gutters and down pipes will continually collect leaves, dirt and birds nests and other loose debris throughout the year. This has to be cleared away to ensure the free flying movement of rainwater into your homes drainage system. It’s a simple job and one in which can be achieved through everyday domestic tools and a ladder. It is also one of those jobs that is tempting to put off for a different day for those who are sometimes lazy or don’t have enough time for DIY. However insurance companies are generally unlikely to pay out for home insurance claims as a result of damage caused by damp from leaking gutters and down pipes. So regular maintenance of this area of your property is entirely in your own financial interest. To clear debris away simply use an ordinary garden trowel to clear out out the mess from gutters. Needless to say you should secure your ladder in place and ideally ask the assistance of a second person to hold it steady to minimise the risk of a fall. If there is a crack or a break in the plastic covering it is sensible to replace that element of the guttering with an identical brand to minimise the impact of unwanted rainwater runoff on the walls. Down pipe blockages can be a bit more tricky and it may be necessary to use drainage rods or other long devices to extend down the pipe to push through a pullout the offending blockage. Many older listed properties may still have old-fashioned cast-iron guttering and down pipes which can cause problems particularly if homeowners are prevented from replacing them with modern plastic guttering due to listed building laws. Maintaining cast-iron train returns additional problems of rust built up which must be dealt with before rusting cracks appear causing unwanted leaks. For minor rust repairs proper preparation and repainting using appropriate exterior metal finish paint will maintain the life of the down pipe. Once holes have appeared in the down pipe they must be repaired using putty sealing joints. It is sensible to also paint the inside of the guttering with the bituminous paint to seal up any leaks. Invest extra time preparing the surface by using a wire brush and make sure any loose debris is removed before painting commences. If the nature of the leak means removing the entire down pipe then be very careful when removing any cast-iron pipes as they may break if dropped. You may need to saw off any remaining screws collecting the cast-iron gutter to the wooden fascia board. Holes can then be repaired with a glass fibre repair sheeting and resin filler. Remember to wear protective gloves when dealing with the glass fibre repair kit. This is the same principle as cleaning and applying an ordinary sticking plaster for minor cuts and injuries. If there are minor leaks occurring between the joints of the gutters one option is to use a repair sealant gun to stop the leak. Repairing cuts and splits in plastic guttering is much simpler than cast-iron down pipes and guttering. However as replacement pipes and joints can be purchased from local DIY stores at very low cost it is hardly worth bothering repairing these plastic guttering parts when the cost of replacement is so cheap. Holes and cuts can be sealed with self adhesive red tape. Don’t forget to check the connecting screws to wooden fascias which overtime sometimes become loose and will need to be tightened up again. ## Latest News & Advice [![Dealing with Woodworm and Dry Rot](/assets/uploads/images/_800x405_crop_center-center_none/assetsure-banner-plain.jpg)](https://www.assetsure.com/homes/home-insurance/woodworm-dry-rot/) ### [Dealing with Woodworm and Dry Rot](https://www.assetsure.com/homes/home-insurance/woodworm-dry-rot/) Woodworm, Dry Rot and Wet Rot. One of the most costly maintenance problems for homeowners is woodworm, dry rot and wet rot. If left untreated it can huge amounts of damage to the interior of your home. There are treatments and remedies to prevent it’s spread and to eliminate the problem it becomes critical. Woodworm is most commonly caused by the furniture beetle which leave larvae boreholes inside the major woodwork elements of a property. These area include the roof timbers, joists, staircase and floorboards. Woodworm can also infest ordinary household furniture causing a home insurance claim problem.... [![Types Door Window Locks](/assets/uploads/images/_800x405_crop_center-center_none/window-lock-news-banner.webp)](https://www.assetsure.com/homes/home-insurance/types-door-window-locks/) ### [Types Door Window Locks](https://www.assetsure.com/homes/home-insurance/types-door-window-locks/) Types of Door and Window Locks – when purchasing a home insurance policy, you may find that your insurance company want you to have certain security measures in force at your property. These should be studied most carefully as without the correct protection being in force, you may find your cover compromised in the event of a claim. For most people, this involves having good quality door and window locks. Good physical security at your property, will be of a far greater benefit in deterring Theft than having an alarm fitted, but not being a lock expert, have do you discover if you have the correct locks fitted at your home?... [![Subsidence Structural Problems](/assets/uploads/images/_800x405_crop_center-center_none/assetsure-banner-plain.jpg)](https://www.assetsure.com/homes/home-insurance/subsidence-structural-problems/) ### [Subsidence Structural Problems](https://www.assetsure.com/homes/home-insurance/subsidence-structural-problems/) Preventing or Dealing with Subsidence and Structural Problems.Whilst subsidence is usually covered by a building insurance policy, it is definitely something that you do not want to happen at your property if at all possible. Claims for subsidence can be on the large side ( hence the reason for the standard policy excess being £1000) and even if the building is repaired by the insurance company, you may find that’s in the future, insurance is harder to source ( and possibly more expensive) and the market value of the property and it’s marketability may also diminish... [More News](https://assetsure.com/news) ## Why choose our specialist insurance cover? ### Home Insurance from Assetsure Our Home Insurance can provide cover for your Buildings, Contents and Personal Effects. 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