You can't always see the leaves from the ground. Here's how to spot a blocked gutter before it causes expensive water damage to your Essex or Herts home.
Living in the UK, we are used to rain. But if you notice water behaving strangely around your roofline, it's usually the first sign of a blockage.
The Hidden Danger: Blocked gutters are the number one cause of preventable water damage in homes. The problem is, because they are high up, "out of sight" often means "out of mind"—until it's too late.
At Sweep Sisters, we use camera technology to check gutters every day. Here are the 5 tell-tale signs we tell homeowners to look out for.
Next time it rains heavily, grab an umbrella and step outside. If you see water spilling over the sides of the gutter rather than disappearing down the drainpipe, you have a blockage.
The Risk: This water splashes onto the ground below, potentially damaging your foundations or ruining your patio pointing.
Have you noticed green or black stains appearing on your external brickwork or render? This usually isn't just "damp weather." It's often caused by a blocked gutter dripping water constantly down the same patch of wall. Over time, this saturates the bricks and allows moss and algae to thrive.
Gutters are designed to hold water, not heavy wet mulch. Debris (wet leaves, moss, and mud) is incredibly heavy. If you see your guttering starting to "sag" in the middle or pull away from the fascia board, it is groaning under the weight of a blockage.
Warning: Ignoring this can lead to the gutter snapping off entirely, which is a much more expensive repair than a simple clean!
If you can see tufts of grass or weeds poking over the top of your gutter, the blockage is severe. Seeds dropped by birds settle in the nutrient-rich sludge of a blocked gutter. If plants are growing up there, their roots are likely blocking the flow of water completely.
This is the one you want to avoid at all costs. If a blockage is left too long, water can back up under the roof tiles and seep into your internal walls. If you spot damp patches on the ceiling or near the top of your bedroom walls, check your gutters immediately.
Critical: Internal damp damage is expensive to fix and can lead to mould growth that affects your family's health.
In the past, checking your gutters meant wobbling around on a tall ladder. Not anymore.
We send the camera up to confirm the blockage (showing you the video).
We suck the debris out safely from the ground—no mess, no ladders.
We show you the "After" photo so you know it's clear.
Book your camera check and clean today. Same-day service available across Essex and Hertfordshire.
