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The Association of British Insurers (ABI) has reported forecasters' expectations of wetter, stormier conditions linked to an unusually strong El Niño, and the first named storm of the 2026/27 season, Storm Austen, was named in October. These are reasons to prepare, because rain does not book ahead: it arrives in whatever volume the sky sends and takes the quickest route off your roof. This guide answers the questions homeowners ask us most often about getting an exterior ready, starting with the simplest: what does storm preparation actually involve?
Water leaves its mark first: staining and damp patches below the roofline, green growth where it should not be, and leaves gathering at outlets and gullies. During rain, a gutter spilling over the edge or a downpipe with little flow confirms what the marks suggest. Any section of gutter or fascia that looks loose, sagging or out of line deserves a note, and so does a stretch of render or cladding that has lifted, since wind will find anything that has already started to come away.
The roof itself collects what the weather delivers. Dirt, leaves and bird droppings settle on solar panels, whereas a panel or its fixings that looks loose or out of line, or water staining around the fixings, points to a closer look. Moss and algae spread across roof tiles and conservatory glazing alike, holding moisture against the surface, and the guttering, where a conservatory meets the house, is easy to overlook. Overhanging branches feed all of it: they drop leaves onto roofs and into gutters, shelter pests and can obstruct cleaning access, while roots may widen existing cracks in masonry and loosen mortar.
Strong wind and heavy rain act on whatever is already weakened. Overflowing guttering soaks the fascia and runs down external walls, and repeated damp leads to staining and damage that takes far more putting right than routine maintenance. Where a box gutter runs between a conservatory and the house, a blockage can push water backwards, with the first signs often showing indoors as damp patches, stained wallpaper or cracks in plaster.
Loose cladding and render that might have survived another month can come free in a gust, and growth left spreading on a roof holds water and grit against tiles that would otherwise dry out between showers. Dirty solar panels quietly produce less, because in a system using a string inverter the whole array performs only as well as its weakest panel. Damp debris creates sheltered places that attract pests, and paths, patios and decking collect the fallen leaves and silt that make surfaces slippery underfoot. If water gathers where it should not, or you suspect an issue with underground drainage, that is a job for a drainage contractor: a gutter clean cannot resolve a problem in buried pipework.
Much of the answer is routine. Gutters and downpipes are cleared as standard, with downpipes cleaned down to the elbow so water leaves the system properly, and our gutter vacuum machines do the work from ground level, which is fast, non-intrusive and appropriate for most cleans.
Above the gutters, the surfaces themselves deserve attention before the wet weather settles in. Roof Cleaning uses eco-friendly biocide treatments that treat moss and organic growth on the surface and help slow regrowth, so rain runs off clean tiles instead of working through a layer of growth. Panels typically benefit from cleaning every 12 to 18 months, or more often near trees or where birds roost, we clean solar panels from the roof with the right equipment and explain the approach before work begins. Conservatory Cleaning clears the debris and growth from glazing and frames before it holds moisture against them, and Cladding & Render Cleaning removes the grime and green growth that wind-driven rain would otherwise drive into joints.
Below the roofline, the same storm deposits leaves and silt on the surfaces you walk on. Driveway, Patio and Path Cleaning clears that build-up before it turns slippery, and where block paving is involved, re-sanding after cleaning restores the finish between the blocks.
Small fixes are far easier before the weather arrives than after. While we are cleaning a roofline, we can sometimes carry out simple, easily accessible repairs ourselves, such as re-clipping a gutter run or replacing a seal, and a simple fix can prevent a small weakness from turning into a much bigger problem once the storm arrives. Anything beyond a straightforward repair is noted and priced separately, so there are no surprises. We can also carry out an inexpensive camera inspection of the guttering using a handheld camera from ground level, which can then be bundled with a main clean if required.
If pruning involves large branches or work at height, arrange a suitably qualified professional rather than tackling it from a ladder. If a solar panel looks loose or damaged, contact your installer rather than going up to look, and do not walk on panels or handle their wiring.
No, ladder work in wet or windy conditions is especially hazardous. Wet, soft ground affects footing, rungs may be slippery, and handling wet tools while reaching overhead is awkward, so never climb a ladder in that weather to inspect or clear gutters.
Stay on the ground instead. Take photographs using your phone's zoom, photographing the same sections from similar positions over time and comparing the images for changes. You are watching for water overflowing from the same point in the gutter, sagging or separation around a gutter joint, new damp marks on an external wall, debris collecting around outlets and gullies, and changes in the visible condition of your solar panels or the output your inverter monitoring shows.
These checks help you describe a concern, but they are not a substitute for safe access or a professional inspection when something needs closer examination.
Many of the checks above end at the same point: someone has to get up there safely, and that is the part we handle every day. Alongside gutter cleaning with our ground-based vacuum machines, we offer Fascia and Soffit Cleaning, Roof Cleaning using eco-friendly biocide treatments that treat organic growth on the surface and help slow regrowth, Conservatory Cleaning, Cladding & Render Cleaning and Driveway, Patio and Path Cleaning.
We also provide Commercial Services for business premises, including Solar Panel Cleaning & Parking and Walkway Cleaning.
Getting ready for unsettled weather is mostly about giving water somewhere to go and clearing what the weather would otherwise work against, and that is a straightforward job once someone gets to it safely. If you would like us to take care of that, choose a time that suits you in our online quote and booking system. We will review your property, its access and the cleaning it needs, then explain the proposed approach before work begins.
Our online quotation and booking system uses simple tick-box questions with real-time pricing, so you can build your quote, choose the appointment time that suits you and book without waiting for a callback. Get an instant gutter cleaning quote or use any of the links above to obtain your quote directly for the service you require.
If your quote covers more than one service, a multi-service discount may apply. At the quote stage you can also choose PayItMonthly, which spreads the cost of the work into three interest-free instalments. Applicants must be 18 or over with a UK bank account, and eligibility checks apply. If you would rather have maintenance spread across the year instead, our VIP Membership monthly plan works differently and may suit you better.
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