Gutters and downpipes: working safely at the eaves
A gutter is an inconspicuous part that causes a lot of trouble when it fails. Replacing or fitting a gutter adds a particular risk: the work takes place right at the eaves edge, the point where a fall is most likely. It also involves long, awkward components and a job that needs precision, because a few millimetres of fall decide whether the water drains. This guide shows what a safe workplace under the eaves looks like and which solution suits which job.
Why the eaves are a special workplace
On a facade you have the wall in front of you and the guard rail behind. At the eaves it is different. The fitter works overhead or at chest height, often leaning slightly outwards to reach the front of the gutter, while holding a long gutter length, a spirit level or a soldering iron. Anything that slips falls, and anyone who loses balance depends on edge protection that is complete at exactly this point.
The gutter is also almost always worked on together with the first course of tiles. The brackets sit on the rafters or on an eaves board under the tiles, so fitting new brackets means lifting or removing the bottom course, and for a time the fitter stands at an open roof edge.
The right deck height
The top of the gutter should be at about chest to shoulder height, which means a deck roughly 1.2–1.5 m (4–5 ft) below the gutter.
Conveniently, this height matches a roof catch scaffold, where the top deck is commonly kept no more than 1.5 m below the eaves edge. If the gutter is renewed as part of a re-roof, the workplace is already there (see roofing scaffolding).
With a roof overhang the gutter hangs 400–800 mm in front of the wall. The scaffold then has to stand far enough out for the fitter to reach the gutter from the front without leaning over the guard rail; inside brackets keep the gap to the wall in the lower lifts within limits.
Fall and bracket spacing: plan before you fix
To drain, a gutter needs a slight fall towards the outlet. Around 2–3 mm per metre is often recommended; the gutter manufacturer's figures apply. A worked example:
- An eaves wall of 12 m with 0.5 m overhang at each end gives a gutter length of 13 m.
- With the outlet at one end and 3 mm/m, the difference between the highest and lowest bracket is about 39 mm.
- With the outlet in the middle, each half drains over 6.5 m; the difference drops to about 20 mm and the gutter looks more even.
Manufacturers usually give maximum bracket spacings, typically about 700–900 mm, with closer spacing in areas with heavy snow. For 13 m at 900 mm that is 15 spaces and 16 brackets; at 700 mm it is 19 spaces and 20 brackets. The sequence on site:
- Fix the highest and lowest bracket to the planned fall.
- Stretch a string line tightly between them.
- Align and fix the remaining brackets to the line at the planned spacing.
- Lay the gutter from the outlet end and join the lengths.
- Connect outlet, stop ends and corners and check for leaks.
- Relay the first course of tiles and check the eaves flashing or felt support.
This is where a continuous scaffold pays off: a 13 m line can only be set accurately if you can stand at both ends and in between. Working section by section from a ladder means setting brackets by eye, and the first heavy downpour shows the result.
Downpipes, long lengths and soldering
The downpipe runs from the outlet via a bend to the wall and then straight down to the drain connection or water butt. Pipe clips are fixed into the wall, usually about every 2 m, and each needs sound substrate, much like a scaffold tie. The downpipe runs in the gap between deck and wall; at 200–300 mm there is room, and every clip can be set from the lift at that height. Keep scaffold ties out of the downpipe line, or a tie will have to be moved later. Downpipes usually come in 2–3 m lengths and are assembled from the bottom up so that water runs inwards at each joint, which suits working up the scaffold lift by lift.
Gutters often come in 3 m or 6 m lengths. A 6 m length is light but unwieldy and will not go up through a hatch deck. The usual way is to pass lengths up outside the scaffold from lift to lift, one person below and one above. In wind a long gutter acts like a sail: work in pairs and always lay lengths along the deck and secured.
Zinc and copper gutters are soft-soldered at joints and stop ends, which means an open flame or hot iron on the scaffold:
- Timber boards, nets and sheeting can catch fire; remove or protect combustible parts in the work area.
- Keep a fire extinguisher on the deck.
- Stand the gas bottle securely and route the hose so nobody trips over it.
- After soldering, check the area under the roof for smouldering spots, especially timber linings and insulation.
An old gutter that has not been cleaned for years is full of wet leaves, moss and silt and weighs many times its own weight. Empty it from the scaffold, cut long lengths into manageable pieces and hand them down rather than throwing them off.
Scaffold, tower, platform or ladder?
| Solution | Suitable for | Limits |
|---|---|---|
| Facade scaffold along the eaves | complete replacement, work on the first tile course, re-roofing | longer to erect, ties needed |
| Mobile tower | single-storey houses, garages, firm level ground | frequent moves, limited height, not on lawn |
| Mobile elevating work platform | cleaning, spot repairs, short jobs | needs access and standing area, trained operator |
| Leaning ladder | a quick look into the gutter, a light task at low height | no free hands, no edge protection |
In the UK, the Work at Height Regulations 2005 accept ladders only where a risk assessment shows that more suitable equipment is not justified because the risk is low and the task short; other countries have comparable rules. For a bungalow or garage with a 3 m eaves height and paved surroundings, a tower is often practical (compare facade scaffold or mobile tower). For a two-storey house and a full renewal with a continuous fall, a fixed scaffold is the better case. A proven middle way: scaffold only the eaves sides and close the gable ends with an end guard rail.
Test while the scaffold is still up
Whether a gutter is watertight and drains properly only shows with water. Do not wait for the next rain: test before dismantling, because afterwards every correction means a new mobilisation.
- Run water slowly into the highest point with a garden hose.
- Watch from the scaffold that it flows to the outlet without standing; puddles left after turning off mean the fall is wrong there.
- Check every joint, corner and stop end from below for drips.
- At the foot of the downpipe, check that all the water arrives and the drain takes it.
- Finally look at the eaves flashing and first tile course: water must drip from the roof into the gutter, not run behind it.
Common mistakes and a sensible package
- Deck too low: permanent overhead work and an inaccurate fall.
- Edge protection opened to pass up a gutter and not refitted.
- Brackets set by eye without a line, leaving standing water in the gutter.
- Too few brackets for the snow load, so the gutter bends in the first winter.
- A scaffold tie sitting in the downpipe line.
- Soldering without fire precautions.
- First tile course left open overnight.
For a house with two eaves sides of 12 m and a 6 m eaves height, you need scaffold along about 2 × 13 m, with the top lift set just below the gutter. If nobody works on the roof at the same time, normal edge protection on the top lift (guard rail, intermediate rail and toe board) is enough; if work on the first tile course runs longer, add a screen. The scaffolding calculator works out both sides, and checked used scaffolding is available for a one-off job like this.