Guttering, Fascias and Soffits in Swindon

Why gutters matter

Gutters and downpipes take the rain off your roof and away from the walls. When they leak or overflow, water soaks the brickwork, which can lead to damp patches inside, green staining outside, rotten window frames and, over time, frost damage to bricks and pointing. In Swindon, where many streets are lined with mature trees, blocked gutters full of leaves and moss are one of the most common problems.

Common guttering jobs

• Cleaning and unblocking gutters and downpipes, ideally after leaf fall in autumn
• Resealing or replacing leaking joints on plastic guttering, which often fail as the rubber seals harden
• Realigning sagging gutters so they fall correctly towards the outlets, and replacing broken brackets
• Replacing old cast-iron or asbestos-cement gutters. Many older homes still have them; asbestos-cement must be handled by someone trained to deal with it safely
• New seamless or sectional systems in uPVC, aluminium or, for period homes, cast iron or cast-iron-effect

Fascias and soffits

The fascia is the board along the eaves that the gutter is fixed to; the soffit is the board underneath. On many Swindon homes built before the 1990s these were originally painted timber, which rots if not maintained. Common options are:

• Full replacement with uPVC boards, which removes the old timber so the rafter ends can be checked
• Capping (cladding over) existing sound timber with uPVC. Cheaper, but only suitable if the timber underneath is sound
• Eaves ventilation: adding vented soffits or over-fascia vents to help prevent loft condensation

When fascias are replaced, it's worth checking the bottom row of tiles and the felt at the eaves, as rotten felt there is a common cause of water getting into the timbers. Bats and nesting birds sometimes use the gap behind fascias, and both are protected, so check before work starts in spring and summer.

See also: roof repairs and flat roofing for edges of extensions and garages.