| Remember remember your gutters this November |
| National Gutters Day (25th of November) is the brainchild of SPAB,
The Society for the Protection of Ancient Buildings, Britain’s oldest
heritage charity as part of the Society’s National Maintenance Week.
SPAB and the sponsors of National Gutters Day, Tuscan Foundry Products
and Fullers Builders, encourage all of us to ensure our properties are
ready for the winter and that rainwater systems are replaced or
repaired! |
| It is easy to take refuge from the wind and rain inside your
property once the autumn leaves have been swept from the path and the
garden furniture has been put away but neglecting your property’s
rainwater disposal can cause serious structural deterioration. Although
it may not be the most glamorous date in your diary, Friday 25th
November is the day when spending a little time inspecting your
rainwater system and drains could save you from having to spend hundreds
of pounds at a later date. Clearing the leaves, plants and silt from
hopper heads, flat roofs and drainage channels is a much cheaper option
than dealing with a serious outbreak of dry rot in timber roof trusses
or with a flooded basement or ground floor because of a blocked drain.
|
| Once the debris has been removal the next step is the removal all of
the vegetation from behind downpipes by cutting it back or removing the
plant altogether. If the weather is dry, look out for stained brick work
which will indicate that there may be a blockage or leak. It is also
advisable with old cast iron and aluminium rainwater goods to use a hand
mirror to look behind rainwater pipes for splits and cracks. A heavy
downpour is no excuse to finish your inspection as this is the perfect
time to check whether water is coming out of leaky joints or if the
gutter junctions are watertight. If your gutters are sloping the wrong
way water will be discharged onto the wall, therefore they may need to
be re-fixed or the brackets replaced. It is imperative to keep the
building free from damp as if water continually runs down an outside
wall it will eventually cause structural damage. |
| Preserving and maintaining a rainwater system also contributes
immensely to the external appearance of a property. It is not always
necessary to replace the whole rainwater system as a failed section can
be replaced. SPAB suggests that where sections are beyond repair,
replacements are made of the same material as the original which is
normally cast iron or sometimes lead with older buildings. However, this
may be problematic as Paul Trace, Managing Director of Tuscan Foundry
Products explains: |
| “Cast iron has been used since the 19th century for gutters,
downpipes and rainwater features. Traditionally one would be able to
source a replacement piece for a rainwater system form a local foundry
to match a particular pattern given to a city or country but
unfortunately the majority of local foundries no longer exist, making it
more difficult to obtain a particular profile. However, there are a
number of traditional cast iron gutter and downpipe profiles which are
sympathetic to the architectural needs of a historic building.” |
| It should always be the aim of period property owners to restore the
original rainwater system as part of the building’s architectural
heritage. A weather damaged section can be taken to a foundry and shot
blasted back to the bare metal and repainted. This also applies to
rainwater features such as hopper heads or rainwater heads are they are
commonly known. |
| During the Victorian and Edwardian times cast iron hopper heads were
used as an ornate feature to add character and intricate architectural
detail to buildings as well as providing an effective way of collecting
rainwater. A hopper head can often indicate a building’s age as it may
display a date, coat of arms, an emblem or initials and therefore is a
very important contribution to the building’s architectural heritage. If
a hopper head has suffered weather damage it can also be shot blasted
and repainted by a professional foundry. It is advisable to take note of
the colour of the old paint before the hopper head is shot blasted so it
can be restored back to its original colour. |
| Where there is only one surviving hopper head, cast iron foundries
can replicate the original to produce a matching pair. This skilled
process is achieved by hand carving the decorative pattern onto wood
supported by a rigid framework and then pouring resin into the carving.
Once the resin is hard it is taken off to produce an exact cast into
which the molten iron is then poured to produce an exact replica hopper
head. |
| Where sections need to be replaced, the installation of rainwater
goods should always be carried out by a competent person stresses
William Fuller, Director of Fullers Builders: |
| “The location of the installation should be thoroughly surveyed
beforehand to accurately quantify the goods required and to determine
the access equipment needed noting any potential hazards that may arise
during the installation. The existing installation can then be removed
and the timber and masonry substrates inspected, repaired and
redecorated as necessary to provide sound fixing locations for the new
rainwater goods”. |
| Cast iron rainwater goods should be carefully painted to avoid
rusting before they are installed with any bare or cut metal primed
accordingly. Once the rainwater goods are dry they can be installed. |
| The positioning of the downpipes is usually determined by the
location of the ground level gullies, although manufactured or bespoke
swan necks and bends allow more flexibility. The gutters should be laid
to the shallow fall to the downpipes which should be vertical. Once the
rainwater systems or part of have been installed it should be water
tested using a hose or watering can to check there are no leaks and the
walls are dry. |
| It is easy to forget about your rainwater system after replacing or
repairing failed sections but it does need to be maintained and
inspected as least twice a year. Even though cast iron rainwater goods
have a superb life span they still need to be looked after, especially
for their historical value. However, it doesn’t matter whether the
property is a hundred years old or brand new, the message is the same:
‘Maintaining your rainwater system contributes to the external
appearance of the building as well as keeping it free from damp and
structural damage’. |
| Ends |
| For more information visit:
|
www.tuscanfoundry.co.uk
www.fullersbuilders.co.uk
www.maintainyourbuilding.org.uk |
