Got a question about guttering? Not sure what some of the components are called so don’t know what to ask for? Have no fear, we’ve put together some Frequently Asked Questions we get from our customers to help you out. We cover everything from the basics of guttering to information about the products we use and why:
A: You may have heard the term roofline if you’ve ever had to deal with a leak or repair on your guttering. ‘Roofline’ refers to the guttering, fascia and soffit structures and are vital parts of your property. They line the roof of your property or commercial building. Their primary function is to collect and drain rainwater away from your roof. But they also play a part in protecting the internal structure of your roof, especially your roofs rafters. They create a barrier to the outside environment and are also designed to stop animals and insects getting into your loft spaces.
The fascia board is the vertical board that the guttering and clips are fixed to. It sits directly under the roof tiles and normally joins to the rafters. The Soffit is the horizontal board that joins the fascia board to the wall. Joined together it makes a protective barrier for your rafters and internal roof from the elements.
A: In our opinion uPVC guttering is not only the most popular type of guttering. It is normally the most cost effective too. It’s a very easy product to install and can be cut to length relatively easily. It’s also easy to maintain. You will not need to repaint or sand it down at all.
A: Our elegant looking UPVC guttering, fascia and soffits are incredibly durable. As a result, we offer up to a 20 year guarantee on products.
A: One of the most Frequently Asked Questions we get asked. Of course, this will depend on not only the size of your property, but also the ease of access to your roof. But in general you’re looking at no longer than a couple of days to replace your roofline on a standard 3 bed semi detached house. We always endeavour to reduce the disruption to you at all times and always clear up after we’ve finished.
A. We use a range of suppliers for our products and our installations. Where possible we try to use local suppliers as we believe that local suppliers give us the best choice of styles and colours and are durable and cost effective for the customer.
A. No, we don’t always need you in once we have arrived on the day and had a briefing of the job being undertaken. You can go out, safe in the knowledge that we will always clean up once we have finished for the day and shut gates, garages or doors where necessary.
A. There’s not really anything to choose between them. It’s really down to your personal choice and how you want them to look. There’s an extensive range of colours and shapes.
A. In time, the elements will have an effect on the plastic (uPVC) and can lead to fading of the initial colour. This process takes several years with white uPVC but can be quicker with darker colours like brown or black uPVC.
A. Many semi-detached or terrace properties have guttering that runs along the complete length of the building, meaning you share a gutter with your neighbour. Don’t worry, if they don’t want to replace their section at the same time as you, we have all manner of connectors that will ensure that the system still works and you have sparkling new guttering, fascia and downpipes.
Replacing old gutters and fascia together usually makes sense because they depend on each other structurally and functionally.
Your fascia board is the timber or board behind the gutter. The gutter is fixed to it, so if the fascia is rotten, warped, split, or damp, new gutters may not hold properly. You could end up paying for new gutters only to have them sag, pull away, or leak because the fixing point is failing. So, replacing guttering, fascia and soffit at the same time will save you money on repeat visits, be able to spot any water ingress damage and make future maintenance much easier.
A. Yes our Cement Fibre cladding is A2 rated.
A. Another one of our most Frequently Asked Questions. The answer is ‘not as often as you would think’. The majority of properties can be accessed using suitable ladders. Our installers are fully equipped with the latest safety ladders to ensure all jobs are carried out to the highest quality without compromising the safety of our team. If scaffolding is needed due to particularly tricky access then we’ll always discuss this at the quote stage.
A. The answer to this Frequently Asked Question is heavily dependant on what style, colour and shape (e.g. square line or round) of guttering you choose as well as the size of your property and the ease of access to it. Extra cost may have to be factored in if we need to provide specialist equipment (e.g. scaffolding). It will also depend on the quantity of guttering, downpipes, cladding, fascias and guttering you’ll be replacing. But don’t worry, we provide free, no obligation quotes so we’ll always give you an accurate price by assessing your property before any work is agreed.
Generally, if your uPVC guttering is more than 10 years old it may be near the end of its lifespan. If it’s not maintained and has started to crack, warp or leak then a replacement will probably be needed. Or if you have metal guttering then rust is a good giveaway that a replacement is due. If you catch the rust early enough it can be repaired but if left for too long it will be non-salvageable.
A. Metal guttering has the advantage of being much stronger than uPVC. Metal gutters are also popular for Heritage and Listed buildings where its traditional aesthetic matches the architecture of many of these buildings. If you want to go down the metal rainwater system route, we supply and install a whole range of metal guttering.
The advantages of uPVC gutters are that they are reasonably priced, have a long lifespan, if maintained properly, are much easier to fit and require very little maintenance. They are also designed to be incredibly weather resistant. Modern day uPVC guttering is made to endure the elements and avoid warping and cracks far less nowadays.
A. In time, the elements will have an effect and can lead to fading of the initial colour. Different materials and colours vary. This process takes several years but if maintained properly it will last a lot longer.
A. Yes, as part of every install we ensure we clear away all the old products and leave as little disruption as possible. We use local companies to dispose and recycle where possible, sometimes we do require a skip. We are a registered waste carrier with the Environment Agency which means we are legally entitled to carry waste so it can be collected by local companies. Just one of the ways we’re using to reduce our carbon footprint and another reason to use Up A Ladder!
Got another question we haven’t covered in our Frequently Asked Questions? Get in touch, our helpful team will be happy to answer your questions. Or to find out more about Up A Ladder’s guttering, fascia, soffit and cladding installation in Swindon and the surrounding areas you can get in contact here. You can book a free survey and quotation by contacting us on 07712 526274 or email us at info@upaladder.co.uk.
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