What’s the point of a gutter?

The purpose of a gutter is to protect the foundation of your building by channelling water away from its base.  Without a gutter, rainwater would just cascade down the front of the building and, over time, could erode the foundations.

The gutter must be fitted properly to make sure it catches all the rainwater from the roof and takes it to the down pipe to the drains.

If the gutter is blocked (usually with leaves) then you can quickly get water soaking into your walls.  If clearing the gutter doesn’t help, check the downpipe – if this is blocked then water will quickly back up and cause the same problem.

Connecting a water butt to the downpipe will mean you can save rainwater for your garden.  A great idea for hot summers.