Why Important
What to look for
The S-shape gutter is quite distinctive, and can often be found in retrofitting on roofs that did not originally have any guttering. Usually they are made from cast iron.
When to look
Gutters should be cleared out regularly. Outlets from S-shaped gutters need to be regularly cleared of leaves and debris or they will become choked, causing the downpipe to backup and overflow back onto the roof space.
How to fix
To ensure that the appropriate shape, size and fixing brackets are used, a copy of the existing can be made. If new sections of cast iron gutters are needed they should be replaced like for like with matching profiles. There are several foundries in the UK which still produce a wide range of traditional castings which normally come pre-primed.
Where the majority of the original gutter requires replacing, there has been a suggestion that an ‘extruded gutter’ can be made from modern materials, and installed, without conflicting with Conservation objectives. Discussion will be needed with Wirral Council