Water leaves the building
The whole point of a rainwater system, restored: rain goes to the drain, not down your wall.
Gutter Cleaning in ShetlandClear Gutters, DownpipesAnd Outlets That Run
Stop water running down your wall instead of down the drain, gutters, hoppers, outlets and downpipes cleared and checked, with the reason they blocked dealt with as well.
17 years' property experience · Lerwick-based team · Free, no-obligation estimate
17 years' experience
In Shetland property
Shetland & Orkney
Lerwick-based team
Mon–Fri, 9am–5pm
Local office hours
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Overview
What gutter cleaning involves
Gutter cleaning is clearing the whole rainwater system, gutter runs, angles, hoppers, outlets and downpipes, so that everything the roof sheds is carried away from the building instead of spilling over the edge.
A gutter that is half full of moss, grit and roof debris does not fail dramatically. It quietly stops coping with heavy rain, and the water finds the wall, the wallhead or the foundation instead.
We also check the system while we are there: brackets, joints, falls and fixings. Clearing a gutter that is sagging or leaking at a joint solves the problem for about a week, so we tell you what we find.
Why professional work matters here
Gutter work is ladder work at height, often on wet ground, exposed elevations and awkward corners: the sort of job that produces a lot of avoidable accidents.
Clearing the visible run is the easy half. Blocked outlets, silted downpipes and choked hoppers are the part that actually causes the overflow, and they need checking properly.
We are looking at the whole rainwater system, not just scooping out leaves. Failed joints, dropped brackets and wrong falls get identified so you are not paying to clear the same overflow every few months.
Who it is for
- Homeowners seeing water spilling over the gutter edge in heavy rain
- Landlords and property managers running planned maintenance across several properties
- Owners of properties with mature roof growth that constantly sheds into the gutters
- Anyone with damp patches, staining or moss on an external wall below a gutter line
When it is needed
- Water overflowing or dripping from the gutter rather than running to the downpipe
- Plants or grass visibly growing out of the gutter
- Staining, green growth or damp on the wall under a gutter run
- After a roof clean, or after a storm has filled the system with debris
- As routine seasonal maintenance, especially before winter
What It Costs To Ignore
What happens if it is left
An overflowing gutter puts water exactly where a building does not want it: against the wall face, into the wallhead, and down onto the ground next to the foundation. In a wet, wind-driven climate that water does not evaporate off politely; it soaks in and stays.
What follows is predictable. Saturated masonry, internal damp, blown plaster, rotting timber at the wallhead and fascia, and a steady loss of whatever thermal performance the wall had. Every one of those repairs costs many times more than keeping the gutters clear.
Full gutters are heavy, too. Wet moss and silt over a long run puts real load on brackets and fascia, which is why a neglected gutter often ends up hanging away from the building or dropping a section entirely in a gale.
Common mistakes we are called out to
- Clearing the gutter run but never checking the outlet or downpipe, so the water still cannot get away
- Only cleaning the front elevation, where the problem is visible, and leaving the back to fill up
- Leaving it until a damp patch appears inside, by then the wall has been wet for a long time
- Ignoring the roof growth that is filling the gutter in the first place
- Balancing on an unsuitable ladder on soft, wet ground in island wind
Our Process
How we carry out gutter cleaning
Step 01
Inspection
We check the full rainwater system around the property, runs, angles, hoppers, outlets and downpipes, and look for the reason it is blocking.
Step 02
Clear pricing
You get a price for the property in front of us, based on the length of run, the number of elevations and the access required.
Step 03
Safe access
Access equipment is set up correctly for the elevation, the ground conditions and the weather on the day.
Step 04
Clearing
Gutters, angles and hoppers are cleared out and the debris is removed from site rather than tipped into a border.
Step 05
Flow testing
We run water through the system and watch it reach the drain. If an outlet or downpipe is still restricted, we deal with it there and then.
Step 06
Report and completion
We tidy up and tell you what we found, a dropped bracket, a leaking joint, a run with the wrong fall, or heavy roof growth that is going to fill it again.
Benefits
What you actually get out of it
Damp problems prevented, not treated
Clear gutters are the cheapest damp prevention a property owner can buy.
Less load on brackets and fascia
An empty gutter is a light gutter. Clearing the weight out protects the fixings and the timber behind them.
Tested, not assumed
We run water through and watch it discharge, so you know the system works rather than hoping it does.
The cause identified
If roof growth or a failing joint is behind the repeat blockage, you will hear about it and can deal with it properly.
One team for the follow-on work
Roof cleaning, joinery and roofing repairs are handled by the same people, so you are not coordinating trades.
In Detail
Gutter Cleaning, methods, materials and situations
What we clear
- Gutter runs, angles and stop ends on every elevation
- Hoppers and rainwater heads, which trap the heaviest debris
- Outlets, where most real blockages actually sit
- Downpipes, including silted and partially restricted pipes
- Gullies and the discharge point at ground level where accessible
- Valley gutters and box gutters on more complex roofs
What ends up in an island gutter
Less leaf litter than a mainland property, and far more moss, lichen fragments, roof grit and windblown material. That mix is heavy, holds water and compacts into a dense silt that will not simply flush away.
Salt-laden wind also carries fine grit inland, which settles and binds the debris together. This is why gutters here often need clearing more regularly than a general UK guideline would suggest.
How often gutters should be cleared
For most properties here, at least once a year is sensible, and twice for anything under heavy roof growth or close to mature planting. Before winter is the most valuable single visit, because that is when the system has to cope with sustained rain and wind.
If your gutters are blocking within months of being cleared, the answer is usually on the roof rather than in the gutter. Dealing with the growth up there changes the interval dramatically.
Systems and materials
- uPVC, the most common on modern and refurbished properties; joints and brackets are the usual weak points
- Cast iron: found on older stone properties; heavy, repairable, and needs care at the joints
- Aluminium and steel systems on commercial and agricultural buildings
- Box and valley gutters, where a blockage causes internal water ingress rather than an overflow
Residential and commercial
On homes this is fast, low-disruption work that usually takes part of a day, and we are happy to combine it with a roof clean while access is set up.
On commercial and let property we plan around occupancy and trading, and report back on the condition of the system so owners can plan repairs rather than react to them. Managing property is where this business started, so planned maintenance schedules are familiar ground.
Our Work
Gutter Cleaning jobs we have carried out
Photographs from our own jobs on Shetland properties, no stock images.
Where We Work
Gutter Cleaning across Shetland and Orkney
We are based on Commercial Street in Lerwick and travel across both island groups for cleaning and maintenance work.
Shetland
- Lerwick (base)
- Scalloway
- Brae
- Sandwick
- Whalsay
- Bressay
Orkney
- Kirkwall
- Stromness
- St Margaret's Hope
More detail on the areas we cover is on the homepage areas section.
Questions
Gutter Cleaning: the things people ask first
How much does gutter cleaning cost?
It depends on the size of the property, the length of the runs, how many elevations there are and the access required. We give you a clear price before starting, free of charge and with no obligation.
How long does it take?
Most domestic properties are a few hours. Larger or more complex buildings, or systems that need downpipes clearing, take longer. We tell you the expected time when we price the job.
How often should gutters be cleaned in Shetland?
At least annually for most properties, and twice a year where there is heavy roof growth or nearby planting. Island conditions fill gutters with moss and grit faster than many mainland properties.
Do you clear the downpipes too?
Yes. Outlets and downpipes are where most genuine blockages sit, so they are part of the job. We run water through afterwards to confirm the system actually discharges.
What if my gutter is leaking or sagging?
We will tell you what we found and what it needs. Because we carry out joinery and maintenance work as well, we can usually repair or replace it rather than leaving you to find another trade.
Do you take the debris away?
Yes. What comes out of the gutter leaves with us rather than being dropped into a border or left in a bag by the door.
Can you clean gutters in winter?
Often yes, weather permitting. Safe access in high wind is the limiting factor, and we will move a date rather than work in conditions that are not safe.
Do you cover Orkney?
Yes. We work across Shetland and Orkney from our base at 68 Commercial Street, Lerwick, including Kirkwall, Stromness and St Margaret's Hope.
My gutters block again within months: why?
Almost always because of what is on the roof. Moss and lichen shed continuously into the gutter line, so cleaning the roof is what changes the interval.
Do you offer emergency gutter clearing?
Our office hours are Monday to Friday, 9am to 5pm. Call 01595 747045, tell us what is happening, and we will be straight with you about how soon we can get there.
Related Work
Other work the same team handles
Free Estimate
Get your gutters clear before the next downpour
Send us the property details or call David directly. We will price the work, clear the full system, test the flow and tell you what we found.
property@arthurandsimpson.com
68 Commercial Street, Lerwick, Shetland ZE2 9EZ
Mon–Fri, 9am–5pm · Closed Sat & Sun
17 years' property experience · Lerwick-based team · Free, no-obligation estimates