Guttering - replace now or not.

Mardle

Yesterday we had a roofer out to deal with a leak from our gutter and also to see if he could locate the cause of an awful reedy noise from the felted roof of an upstairs bay window during the recent high winds.

When he'd fixed the leak he said that whoever put the guttering on had nailed it to the fascia board instead of using brackets. He said it's not a problem at the moment but will eventually become one. He also said the chimney stack needs pointing but again it can be left.

Would you be inclined to replace the guttering now that you know it's not fitted properly or would you wait until there's a problem?

Steve_xx

When it "eventually" becomes a problem, then replace it. I'd do nothing now if it isn't causing any problem, ie leaking or not funtioning properly.

Wassa123

I'd worry about it when it becomes a problem.

EachPenny

Mardle wrote: »

Would you be inclined to replace the guttering now that you know it's not fitted properly or would you wait until there's a problem?

I'd also wait until there was a problem, but be aware that 'nailed on' guttering will be giving you more problems in the not too distant future.

Also bear in mind that if done with care all you would need is for the existing guttering to be refitted using the correct brackets (unless it is already old and brittle and needs replacing anyway).

Jackmydad

What type of guttering is it and what shape?
Plastic, cast iron or aluminium?
Half round, box (square) or ogee?
If they're aluminium "ogee" they are (AFAIK) often designed to be screwed straight onto the fascia.
If they're plastic I'd have thought nailing them on without brackets would lead to them distorting and to leaks.
If they're cast iron they need brackets. . .
As the others have said though, if they are working OK, I'd leave them alone until they need doing.

EachPenny

Jackmydad wrote: »

What type of guttering is it and what shape?
Plastic, cast iron or aluminium?
Half round, box (square) or ogee?
If they're aluminium "ogee" they are (AFAIK) often designed to be screwed straight onto the fascia.
If they're plastic I'd have thought nailing them on without brackets would lead to them distorting and to leaks.
If they're cast iron they need brackets. . .
As the others have said though, if they are working OK, I'd leave them alone until they need doing.

Very good point, I was assuming the OP is referring to plastic, different advice may apply if other materials are involved.

Aluminium (or cast iron/steel) ogee very often do screw (but not nail :eek:) onto the fascia with no brackets required.

Jackmydad

EachPenny wrote: »

Very good point, I was assuming the OP is referring to plastic, different advice may apply if other materials are involved.

Aluminium (or cast iron/steel) ogee very often do screw (but not nail :eek:) onto the fascia with no brackets required.

Most is plastic these days as you say, but I was only parked looking at some terraced houses the other day, and the gutters were cast iron. I wondered how long they'd been there.

To the OP, if they really have been nailed, I'd be looking at the falls (the slope to make the water run away) as well.
Somebody had done a decent job superficially on this bungalow. Replaced all the iron (I found it here) with plastic, right number of brackets, and correct fittings.
They didn't seem to understand about water running downhill though.

Mardle

The gutters are half round plastic. I think they've got the fall right as it's possible to hear rain water going down the drainpipe near the bathroom window.

Jackmydad

Mardle wrote: »

The gutters are half round plastic. I think they've got the fall right as it's possible to hear rain water going down the drainpipe near the bathroom window.

Good! It was just a thought really.
And there are no brackets on there at all?
It can't be very long runs I wouldn't have thought.
But again, if it's working OK, I'd leave it alone for the present at least.

G_M

How long do yyou envisage living there?

A year or two till you up/downsize? Leave well alone unless it beccomes a problem.

10+ years while your kids grow up? I'd fix it, and (if the fascias are wood) take the opprtunity this summer to check & re-paint them.

Same with the repointing. Depends entirely how bad it is and how long you plan to stay.

Mardle

Not planning to move unless I win the lottery. If we were to sell in the next 7 years we'd have to repay the empty homes grant we got 3 years ago.