Is your home winter ready?

We chat to North Norfolk Properties Ltd - specialists in cleaning gutters.

Owner of the company David Loughlin is out with his team cleaning gutters. “This is the time of year typically that they become blocked,” David tells me, “Either because of moss coming off the roof or leaves.

“If you end up with a blocked gutter they will overflow, if the rain comes that water’s got to go somewhere and typically it will fall down the side of your house, and if it does that you will get water ingress through the walls. That could lead to damp in the house.”

As David talks Darryl and Adam are assembling the SkyVac, which sucks any debris or blockages out, down a pipe and into a cylinder. And it’s powerful.

“Sometimes there are big old clumps of quite nice gardens that have formed up in the gutters - this thing can still suck something that’s large out - it will hold onto it, we can lift it out and then drop it.”

Before the machine gets put to work, the team use a camera to assess what’s going on.

“One of the guys quickly has a look at the gutters to find out if there’re any specific problems in there, in which case the guy that’s operating the vacuum can concentrate on those areas - and then we can always check if we’ve removed it.” 

The engine’s turned on and the dirt begins to get sucked out, and this is all the equipment that’s needed.  

The company's been using this system for 5 years and David describes it as a ‘massive game changer’.

“We used to use ladders - and scaffolding and cherry pickers for more complicated roofs. I have to be honest with you it’s not pleasant being up a cherry picker - especially when there’s a wind blowing and it’s wobbling around. This makes it much, much safer.”

The equipment can reach almost 50 feet in the air, so buildings that are 4 storeys high, and more complicated spaces - like over conservatoires or out buildings.

Any in hardly any time at all, Adam’s back on the camera, “We’re just checking after Darryl’s hoovered it out, and as you can see, it’s clear.”  

Adam and David

Before they leave I ask David how satisfying it can be, especially when they're big blockages, “Oh terribly satisfying!” he laughs.  And then they're off to the next job - the team have a busy few months ahead.

North Norfolk Properties Ltd also do moss removal, and driveway, path and patio cleaning, contact: nnpco99@gmail.com