Would you walk up?

[Cozzer]

bigger gutters with more pitch.....?
if you try to swill/clean it with water BUT not remove the dross.....it'll block the down pipe....
at least a gutter guard will keep out the big stuff.......

Funnily enough, I've just spoken to a neighbour who'd fitted some gutter "hedgehogs" (?) in the past in order to stop leaves gathering/blocking. I was surprised to hear that he'd recently removed them, as the leaves had built up/solidified to such an extent that rainwater was shooting over the top and missing the gutter completely!
So much for that idea, then....

What is particularly annoying about my case is that, when the new slates were fitted, the roofing company's quotation stated "Provide and fix new polyester powder coated seamless aluminium guttering (including a length to the high level roof above), fixed onto the existing fascia board and set to fall to the existing downpipe."
They unfortunately subbed the job to an gutter specialist outfit....and they didn't do the high level roof bit.
We only realised the error months later, when the weather turned and well after all the scaffolding was down.
We of course contacted the well known, well-respected roofing company....and never even received a reply.

 

[Terry - Somerset]

Like many on this forum I resent paying someone to do that which I know I could do myself.

However, approaching three score and ten, and shortly to move house, I am being very realistic about what I will do to update our intended purchase:

• decorating, flat pack assembly, minor electrical etc is in scope
• replacing gutters, clearing moss from roof, converting part of garage to utility, knocking through to make a kitchen diner, glue down vinyl tiling is outside scope.

This truly saddens me - 20+ years ago I would happily have taken all this on. The mind is willing, the body is weak, and the bank balance a little bigger than with two teenage kids at home and then Uni.

 

[Cozzer]

I would hire a ladder to get to point A and then use a set of drain rods with one of these …

https://www.screwfix.com/p/half-round-gutter-clearing-tool/6381p

Yes, that was an early thought I had too.
Unfortunately, where the ladder would have to safely stand is a no-go because some silly person - me - decided to pitch a shed there!
I decided that the only other way would be to lash an upright ladder to a cast iron downpipe...but there isn't one there, so that b******* that idea as well!


* Just to add that I didn't type "silly" - the forum's auto correct has jumped in again! Why it feels that the word 1 d 1 0 t is quite so offensive is beyond me!

 

[johna.clements]

Funnily enough, I've just spoken to a neighbour who'd fitted some gutter "hedgehogs" (?) in the past in order to stop leaves gathering/blocking. I was surprised to hear that he'd recently removed them, as the leaves had built up/solidified to such an extent that rainwater was shooting over the top and missing the gutter completely!
So much for that idea, then....

What is particularly annoying about my case is that, when the new slates were fitted, the roofing company's quotation stated "Provide and fix new polyester powder coated seamless aluminium guttering (including a length to the high level roof above), fixed onto the existing fascia board and set to fall to the existing downpipe."
They unfortunately subbed the job to an gutter specialist outfit....and they didn't do the high level roof bit.
We only realised the error months later, when the weather turned and well after all the scaffolding was down.
We of course contacted the well known, well-respected roofing company....and never even received a reply.

Asuming the work was done in last couple of years I would write to them again referencing the previous letter to which you still have not received a reply. Inform them that you will be taking the matters to the small claims court if they do not refund the money for the guttering that they did not install but charged for. They will have to pay court costs plus the refund. If things are as you describe and they just foregot to instal the gutter it will be difficult for them to defend

 

[dickm]

Eight weeks ago, I was thinning the apples on a tree in our "orchard", about three feet off the ground, on a ladder. The branch on which is was leaning (gently, as I thought) snapped and I was deposited neatly on the ground. Nae problem, you would say, BUT exactly where my left hip landed was the sharp corner of a raised bed. Visit to A&E found nothing broken, but one heck of a lot of bruising. "It will get more painful for a week, then the soft tissue should be better in about six weeks. The bruising to the bone may take up to 16 weeks". They knew what they were talking about.
OK, I'm 78, so don't heal so fast. But the relevance to the OP's case is painfully obvious.
Swallow pride and get a professional. Or a son-in-law who is a mountaineer.

 

[Cozzer]

Gutter cleaning hose from the ground.

Don't think possible.... gutter circa 21' up, and extension and conservatory "stick out" around 17' from the gutter wall.

 

[johna.clements]

Don't think possible.... gutter circa 21' up, and extension and conservatory "stick out" around 17' from the gutter wall.

A quick search reveals 4.5m long ones on ebay. 4.5m plus 1.5m for you gets up to 6m long. Would be surprised if longer ones are not available with a bit of research. I have seen people in real life clean third floor windows with rods from the ground so there may be adapters with a bend that can go on the end of those.

You could also sit in your window and use a shorter one.

 

[Fergie 307]

Unless you have a moss problem and then the bloody stuff starts attaching itself to the bristles on the 'gutter hedgehogs'!

Fair point. I have only used the hedgehog type in one short run that is hard to get to, and where there is little moss. Moss certainly blows off the grille type guards, little lumps of it all over the place when we have had a good blow.

 

[TomTheToolMan]

I have a similar situation. I do use a scaffold tower I bought 2nd hand. I build it above the level of the 1st roof then put a platform from it across to the apex of the lower roof. A couple of poles then provide handrails. I use mainly when painting soffit but clean gutter when I'm there

 

[MikeJhn]

I use one of these: 5.4m 18' Telescopic Lance KIT Domestic Use - fits Karcher click The downpipes have an access at low level to put in a chute made out of a piece of gutter to catch the debris.

 

[HappyHacker]

I cannot offer a lot of help except to say where there are lots of leaves the gutter guards are next to useless. I have put them on my bungalow, sand face tiles, and stable with pitched tin roof, and have to remove them annually to get rid of the stuff on top and underneath. I have not tried the bristle ones but cannot see them working either especially as some of the roofs also have moss. I have started removing the guards now as I go around cleaning so it is easier to clean. I usually remove a few barrow loads of leaves despite the guards when doing the whole bungalow.

The only upside is I can get to most of the gutters from a normal stepladder and have a 10ft stepladder for the stables.

A warning about falls. My BIL fell off a 5ft step ladder, he was not at the top, when cutting his hedge, landing on the lawn. One of the feet had gone into a mole run. He had 11 broken ribs on one side, two of them broken twice, so flail chest which can be fatal. He was put in an induced coma for a week, has bit of metal holding some of his ribs together and spent about six months recovering. He also had dreams when in the induced coma which he believed to be real. He now accepts that logically they cannot be but they still feel like real memories to him. He was told a few weeks after discharge he has PTSD as a result. With the number of people in induced comas due to Covid this is now being reported as quite common side effect.

 

[MikeJhn]

Now days I don't leave the ground to carry out maintenance, but in my youth. (65)

 

[pe2dave]

For 'after'. Have a look at 'gutterbrush', sort of nylon spiral brush, fills the gutter, lets water through, leaves sit on top till dry / windy.

 

[Pedronicus]

For 'after'. Have a look at 'gutterbrush', sort of nylon spiral brush, fills the gutter, lets water through, leaves sit on top till dry / windy.

That is the same as the 'Gutter Hedgehog' already mentioned. Fine for dry large leaves but not a lot of good for wet ones, small leaves and/or moss.

 

[pe2dave]

That is the same as the 'Gutter Hedgehog' already mentioned. Fine for dry large leaves but not a lot of good for wet ones, small leaves and/or moss.

OK, worked for me, about 4 years now.

 

[Cozzer]

Asuming the work was done in last couple of years I would write to them again referencing the previous letter to which you still have not received a reply. Inform them that you will be taking the matters to the small claims court if they do not refund the money for the guttering that they did not install but charged for. They will have to pay court costs plus the refund. If things are as you describe and they just foregot to instal the gutter it will be difficult for them to defend

Y'know what? You're right!
It's just short of 2 years since the roofing work was done, and having chatted to my better half for confirmation, it transpires that we didn't even get a receipt/acknowledgement of payment, let alone any written guarantee. (Before any of you think that the work was done by Fred and some of his drinking mates in the pub, it wasn't - the company is NFRC, Chas, Trustmark etc., registered/accredited)
I dropped them an email last weekend, detailing the problem...I'll see what the response is.

 

[okeydokey]

See DJZ post above.
I have an old petrol (Stihl) blower that I use for rearranging leaves around the garden and collecting in piles. I saw a video about their pipe extension thing and bought one absolutely magic it blows leaves and all sorts of junk out, just wear goggles as it gets in your eyes, highly recommended.
Even if you can't get a branded one for your blower get a gutter downpipe and use a downpipe fitting to direct the blow.
Or one of the many gutter cleaning firms will do the same thing and then wash it out with a hosepipe no risk to life and limbs!

 

[Cozzer]

Or one of the many gutter cleaning firms will do the same thing and then wash it out with a hosepipe no risk to life and limbs!

Well, I took the plunge and booked a gutter cleaning boy for this morning... 130 quid, and even though I "warned" him about the 12' job probably needing a triple-ladder affair, he only turned up with a double. 90 minutes later, all gutters and downpipes cleared....but...the awkward one was frozen up, so (somehow) he's "broken up" the stuff inside it, and will come out again - if I ring him - when the weather's a bit warmer.
Hmmmm....

As regards chasing the roofing company, I got an email from them saying that they were in the area later that particular afternoon, and they would "try to call later today".
Did they?
No idea.
That was 28 November, and I've not heard a word since.
I chased 'em a couple of days ago, asking "Did you manage to visit?"
I've still no idea....

 

[Cozzer]

Well, 5 months have passed by...and the boys actually turned up yesterday.
No warning...they just arrived.
Courtesy of their two ladders and my pallet and three scaffold boards, they were done in an hour.
Told you it would be tricky!

 

[Spectric]

For one moment I thought that ladder was actually sitting in the gutter !!