Common roofline problems and their solutions

Over the last two decades, we’ve worked on our fair share of roofs. During that time, we’ve witnessed and rectified many regular problems with people’s gutters, fascias and soffits. These problems include:

• Loud noises from the gutters
• Excessive leaking
• Gutter blockages
• Colour fading and paint peeling off timber roofline products

In this blog, we’ll be covering the causes of these problems, and how Roofline Solutions can help.

Why are my gutters making noise?

The main reason why your gutters may be keeping you awake at night is the roofing felt flapping into the gutter.

Often there is a specially designed felt situated under the roof tiles to the first batten.  This felt should drape marginally into the gutter to assist with the prevention of rot in the roof. However, if the felt is too long, it can start flapping against the gutter in the wind. In some cases, the noise can be surprisingly loud and reverberate through the whole house.

To solve the problem, the felt needs to be safely trimmed down. Contact us to help with this procedure (please note that we only carry out smaller repair jobs within a 10-mile radius of our base in GU10 5RP).

Why is my roofline’s paint peeling?

This is one of the unfortunate side-effects of old timber products. After years of use, wooden fascias and soffits can begin to split, warp and rot. They’ll also inevitably require repainting as their paint peels and their colour fades.

By upgrading to a modern, replacement uPVC roofline, you can ensure your roofline maintains its stunning appearance long into the future. For maximum resilience, we also offer seamless aluminium guttering in a range of popular colours.

Why are my gutters leaking?

Leaking gutters are a huge problem. They can cause water to enter your home and severely damage your ceiling, windows, walls and so on. Once water gets in, it’s not long before mould and rot starts to settle in. Here are the primary causes of gutter leakage:

Damaged or broken brackets or joiners

This can be caused by extreme or heavy weather, accidental damage, incorrect installation or simply normal wear and tear if gutters are old.

Damaged or broken fittings can cause gutters to become loose, misaligned, sag or fall off completely.  Guttering may also become skewed if it is not fixed correctly and if this is the case it is no longer adequately protecting your property from water.

If you suspect that this is the problem, contact us. It may be that the affected areas just need adjusting, or old fittings replaced with new.  It may also be that small sections need replacing or, in more severe cases, if the issues are widespread, replacement guttering systems may have to be installed. Thankfully, our expert surveyors will be able to advise you and find the best solution for your property.

Your gutters aren’t big enough for the volume of rain

It may be the case that your gutters just aren’t big enough and water is naturally over spilling.  If this is a regular occurrence then you may want to consider our deep flow gutters, especially if your property has a large roof.

Your gutters are blocked

Gutter blockages are commonly caused by the built-up of leaves, moss, animal nests and other debris.  Blockages are a serious problem because:

• The extra weight can be heavy and this can put additional strain on the gutter
• Stagnant pools of water can attract all manner of pests and insects
• It could cause the water to overspill and leak into the home
• The water’s obstruction along the gutter can also contribute towards excessive roofline noise
• It prevents the gutters from functioning as they should
• Debris can go into downpipes and block soakaways

Leaves can be removed simply enough by yourself, providing you have the correct access equipment and follow proper health and safety for working at heights.  Moss, however, is more difficult to remove than you may assume. Because it can contain so much water, moss can freeze, making extraction difficult to do without damaging the roofline. For this reason, we offer moss removal as one of our professional services.

We carry out moss removal within a 15-mile radius of our base in GU10 5RP, covering Farnham, Hook, Basingstoke, Fleet, Farnborough, Aldershot, Camberley, Frimley, Alton, Bordon, Guildford, Haslemere and Godalming.  We spray a biocide onto the roof after the moss has been removed which prevents re-growth and we guarantee this for 3 years.

Why is my downpipe is leaking?

Downpipes tend to only leak if you have a blockage underground.  This is because the water has nowhere to discharge to and backs up in the downpipe.  Downpipes are not designed to hold water in this way.  Please consult an underground drainage specialist if you believe this to be the case.

Alternatively, it may be that you have a swan neck (or downpipe bend) which is blocked.  This will cause downpipe above the blockage and/or the gutter to fill up and overflow but it doesn’t mean that the downpipe is faulty or leaking.  Sometimes it may look like a downpipe is leaking, when in fact water is running over the top of the gutter and down the outside of the downpipe.  If you are unsure, please call us on 01252 852336 and we will be able to advise.

Quality roofline products and services

Working across Surrey, Hampshire and Berkshire, we want your roofline to work as effectively as possible. Get a free quote online today or, for more information, give us a call on 01252 852 336 or contact us online.