It’s that time of year, the leaves are changing colour and falling from the trees. This can cause problems for drains and gutters. Whilst slow drainage can be frustrating a larger blockage can result in water backing up in your drains. Leading to flooding which can damage your garden or property.
It is recommended that gutters are cleaned at least twice a year. Once in the late spring and another the late summer or early autumn. If you have trees close to your home, you may need to check your gutters and drains more regularly.
Here are some tips on what you can do to prevent your drains from becoming blocked this Autumn:
- Cut back any branches close to your home could help to prevent leaves falling into or near your drains and gutters.
- Keep your garden free of leaves. If you notice a build-up of leaves in your garden collect them up and put them in the green bin or add them to your compost heap, before they cause a trip hazard or get a chance to clog up your drains.
- Wearing gloves, scoop out any leaves that have blown into your drains or gutters. If getting up a ladder to clean the gutters isn’t for you, try a telescopic leaf and debris brush clearer.
- Install gutter guards, leaf guards or adding metal or plastic netting on your pipes and drains. These act as a strainer allowing the rainwater to flow freely and trapping any leaves or debris. Available in a variety of sizes they are easy to install and can picked up at your local hardware store. Guards will need to be cleaned to prevent the guard itself becoming blocked, but they are relatively low maintenance.
The quickest and easiest way to make sure your drains are operating at peak efficiency is, quite simply, to clean them!
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