Our 1930's semi currently has separate plastic guttering systems, with
each half having their own single downpipe, although our downpipe is
cast iron. We've lived there over 10 years, with our elderly neighbour
living there far, far longer. Neither gutter have been replaced in that
period, but as neither is cast iron, both have been replaced at some point.

Our neighbour approached us to say that she's replacing her guttering.
Apparently she also mentioned something about having a damp problem, but
I'm not certain where it is, or whether the guttering replacement is
meant to resolve this. Apparently there was some discussion about
whether we wanted our side replaced as well - we can't afford this.

Today we've been asked to confirm whether we want the guttering systems
connected. At present they're separate, and doing a quick check around
neighbouring properties, there's a mix of both joined and unjoined. I
suspected originally they were joined, but over the years some have been
separated as one half replace theirs.

When I said I was happy to leave it as is, she was fairly polite, but
pressed the point that (she was advised?) as there would be a gap
(however small), that water could run down and cause damp. She
repeatedly said that she's fine with our decision, but to make it clear
she's warned us of the potential problems. I think she was trying to
make it clear that if things go wrong, its our fault.

My reason for not wanting them joined was mainly that it's not been a
problem for the last 10 years (and likely longer), and that I'd like to
avoid shared systems were possible to prevent potential disputes should
one side leak/overflow etc.

What do people recommend? Should we connect our guttering (assuming
it's possible) or keep separate? Is there a real chance of damp due to
the gap, or is it best to keep as-is?

Thanks

David

David Hearn wrote:
Our 1930's semi currently has separate plastic guttering systems, with
each half having their own single downpipe, although our downpipe is
cast iron. We've lived there over 10 years, with our elderly neighbour
living there far, far longer. Neither gutter have been replaced in that
period, but as neither is cast iron, both have been replaced at some point.

Our neighbour approached us to say that she's replacing her guttering.
Apparently she also mentioned something about having a damp problem, but
I'm not certain where it is, or whether the guttering replacement is
meant to resolve this. Apparently there was some discussion about
whether we wanted our side replaced as well - we can't afford this.

Today we've been asked to confirm whether we want the guttering systems
connected. At present they're separate, and doing a quick check around
neighbouring properties, there's a mix of both joined and unjoined. I
suspected originally they were joined, but over the years some have been
separated as one half replace theirs.

When I said I was happy to leave it as is, she was fairly polite, but
pressed the point that (she was advised?) as there would be a gap
(however small), that water could run down and cause damp. She
repeatedly said that she's fine with our decision, but to make it clear
she's warned us of the potential problems. I think she was trying to
make it clear that if things go wrong, its our fault.

My reason for not wanting them joined was mainly that it's not been a
problem for the last 10 years (and likely longer), and that I'd like to
avoid shared systems were possible to prevent potential disputes should
one side leak/overflow etc.

What do people recommend? Should we connect our guttering (assuming it's
possible) or keep separate? Is there a real chance of damp due to the
gap, or is it best to keep as-is?

Thanks

David

The supplier is trying to drum up business. Keep it separate. The risk
of a damp wall is minute IMO. Check that your guttering is undamaged
before and after next door has the work done.

On 01/03/14 11:48, David Hearn wrote:

What do people recommend? Should we connect our guttering (assuming
it's possible) or keep separate? Is there a real chance of damp due to
the gap, or is it best to keep as-is?

A small gap is irrelevant - think how much rain hits your walls anyway.

And even working gutters catch some rain on the outside that runs down
underneath and drips!

I would not connect them if your downpipes are set up to cope with an
isolated system.

Then if she (or new occupant) fails to clean her gutters or fix a
blocked downpipe, you do not suddenly get the benefit of a lot of extra
water or muck down yours.

Never share any service with a neighbour that you don't have to! Ever...

Capitol wrote:

David Hearn wrote:

Our 1930's semi currently has separate plastic guttering systems, with
each half having their own single downpipe

The supplier is trying to drum up business. Keep it separate. The risk
of a damp wall is minute IMO. Check that your guttering is undamaged
before and after next door has the work done.

If you have corrugated tiles (rather than flat slates) best if the gap
is in a valley, rather than a ridge, to minimise runoff.

Tim Watts wrote:

Never share any service with a neighbour that you don't have to! Ever...

My neighbour and I jointly replaced the soffits/fascias/guttering of our
houses about 7 years ago, I organised the materials, they borrowed a
scaffold tower and we shared the work.

There's a single run of guttering front and back, in other houses I've
known, the front gutter has a downpipe on one house and the rear is on
the other, but here both downpipes are on my house.

After we'd finished the work he asked me for copies of the receipts for
the materials and he'd square up, when I did so he struck-off his half
of the cost for the downpipes and outlets, on the grounds they were all
mine, cheeky git! I felt like putting a hacksaw through the gutter at
the mid-point and fitting two end-stops.

On 03/01/2014 12:26 PM, Andy Burns wrote:

My neighbour and I jointly replaced the soffits/fascias/guttering of our
houses about 7 years ago, I organised the materials, they borrowed a
scaffold tower and we shared the work.

There's a single run of guttering front and back, in other houses I've
known, the front gutter has a downpipe on one house and the rear is on
the other, but here both downpipes are on my house.

After we'd finished the work he asked me for copies of the receipts for
the materials and he'd square up, when I did so he struck-off his half
of the cost for the downpipes and outlets, on the grounds they were all
mine, cheeky git! I felt like putting a hacksaw through the gutter at
the mid-point and fitting two end-stops.


Some people are unbelievable. No wonder there are so many disputes.

Andy Burns wrote:
Capitol wrote:

David Hearn wrote:

Our 1930's semi currently has separate plastic guttering systems, with
each half having their own single downpipe

The supplier is trying to drum up business. Keep it separate. The risk
of a damp wall is minute IMO. Check that your guttering is undamaged
before and after next door has the work done.

If you have corrugated tiles (rather than flat slates) best if the gap
is in a valley, rather than a ridge, to minimise runoff.

I'm not expert but intuitively, I would have thought the exact opposite?

Bob Minchin wrote:

Andy Burns wrote:

If you have corrugated tiles (rather than flat slates) best if the gap
is in a valley, rather than a ridge, to minimise runoff.

I'm not expert but intuitively, I would have thought the exact opposite?

That's what I meant to write!

On 01/03/2014 12:03, Tim Watts wrote:
On 01/03/14 11:48, David Hearn wrote:

What do people recommend? Should we connect our guttering (assuming
it's possible) or keep separate? Is there a real chance of damp due to
the gap, or is it best to keep as-is?

A small gap is irrelevant - think how much rain hits your walls anyway.

And even working gutters catch some rain on the outside that runs down
underneath and drips!

I would not connect them if your downpipes are set up to cope with an
isolated system.

Then if she (or new occupant) fails to clean her gutters or fix a
blocked downpipe, you do not suddenly get the benefit of a lot of extra
water or muck down yours.

Never share any service with a neighbour that you don't have to! Ever...


+1

On 01/03/2014 12:03, Tim Watts wrote:
On 01/03/14 11:48, David Hearn wrote:

What do people recommend? Should we connect our guttering (assuming
it's possible) or keep separate? Is there a real chance of damp due to
the gap, or is it best to keep as-is?

A small gap is irrelevant - think how much rain hits your walls anyway.

And even working gutters catch some rain on the outside that runs down
underneath and drips!

I would not connect them if your downpipes are set up to cope with an
isolated system.

Then if she (or new occupant) fails to clean her gutters or fix a
blocked downpipe, you do not suddenly get the benefit of a lot of extra
water or muck down yours.

Never share any service with a neighbour that you don't have to! Ever...


I'd second that. I clear lots of guttering & very often the problem is
with next doors.

--
Dave - The Medway Handyman www.medwayhandyman.co.uk

On 01/03/14 12:26, Andy Burns wrote:
Tim Watts wrote:

Never share any service with a neighbour that you don't have to! Ever...

My neighbour and I jointly replaced the soffits/fascias/guttering of our
houses about 7 years ago, I organised the materials, they borrowed a
scaffold tower and we shared the work.

There's a single run of guttering front and back, in other houses I've
known, the front gutter has a downpipe on one house and the rear is on
the other, but here both downpipes are on my house.

After we'd finished the work he asked me for copies of the receipts for
the materials and he'd square up, when I did so he struck-off his half
of the cost for the downpipes and outlets, on the grounds they were all
mine, cheeky git! I felt like putting a hacksaw through the gutter at
the mid-point and fitting two end-stops.


Exactly...

Keep your dealings with neighbours light and airy...

In message , Andy
Burns writes
Tim Watts wrote:

Never share any service with a neighbour that you don't have to! Ever...

My neighbour and I jointly replaced the soffits/fascias/guttering of
our houses about 7 years ago, I organised the materials, they borrowed
a scaffold tower and we shared the work.

There's a single run of guttering front and back, in other houses I've
known, the front gutter has a downpipe on one house and the rear is on
the other, but here both downpipes are on my house.

After we'd finished the work he asked me for copies of the receipts for
the materials and he'd square up, when I did so he struck-off his half
of the cost for the downpipes and outlets, on the grounds they were all
mine, cheeky git! I felt like putting a hacksaw through the gutter at
the mid-point and fitting two end-stops.


A very long story, but, shortened version :-

My parents own a property in a village and 5 houses have septic tanks,
the over flows of which combine and run through our property. A few
years ago there was a blockage of the common pipe on our land and I
organised a company to come in and clear it. It is amazing what passes
through the system, including a very large foam sponge. Any way after
it was cleared I spoke with the neighbours about sharing the cost and
apart from one they said, tough, it's on your land you have to pay the
bill, maybe legally correct, morally they were a bunch of self
righteous ******* .

I really felt like blocking their feeds into our pipework for a few
days, but didn't!!


PS, the effect of the blockage being removed is very impressive with
100' head of "liquid" out of a 4" pipe, you don't want to be anywhere
nearby.
--
Bill

On 03/01/2014 02:47 PM, Bill wrote:


A very long story, but, shortened version :-

My parents own a property in a village and 5 houses have septic tanks,
the over flows of which combine and run through our property. A few
years ago there was a blockage of the common pipe on our land and I
organised a company to come in and clear it. It is amazing what passes
through the system, including a very large foam sponge. Any way after
it was cleared I spoke with the neighbours about sharing the cost and
apart from one they said, tough, it's on your land you have to pay the
bill, maybe legally correct, morally they were a bunch of self
righteous ******* .

I really felt like blocking their feeds into our pipework for a few
days, but didn't!!


PS, the effect of the blockage being removed is very impressive with
100' head of "liquid" out of a 4" pipe, you don't want to be anywhere
nearby.

18 of our semis are served by what was a private sewer along the rear of
the properties. When that blocked the same argument ensued, with those
up the road refusing to contribute. The Council took the problem over,
added 10% and split the bill across all the properties. Fortunately now
as I understand it, the Water companies have taken them over.

David Hearn wrote:
Our 1930's semi currently has separate plastic guttering systems, with
each half having their own single downpipe, although our downpipe is
cast iron. We've lived there over 10 years, with our elderly
neighbour living there far, far longer. Neither gutter have been
replaced in that period, but as neither is cast iron, both have been
replaced at some point.
Our neighbour approached us to say that she's replacing her guttering.
Apparently she also mentioned something about having a damp problem,
but I'm not certain where it is, or whether the guttering replacement
is meant to resolve this. Apparently there was some discussion about
whether we wanted our side replaced as well - we can't afford this.

Today we've been asked to confirm whether we want the guttering
systems connected. At present they're separate, and doing a quick
check around neighbouring properties, there's a mix of both joined
and unjoined. I suspected originally they were joined, but over the
years some have been separated as one half replace theirs.

When I said I was happy to leave it as is, she was fairly polite, but
pressed the point that (she was advised?) as there would be a gap
(however small), that water could run down and cause damp. She
repeatedly said that she's fine with our decision, but to make it
clear she's warned us of the potential problems. I think she was
trying to make it clear that if things go wrong, its our fault.

My reason for not wanting them joined was mainly that it's not been a
problem for the last 10 years (and likely longer), and that I'd like
to avoid shared systems were possible to prevent potential disputes
should one side leak/overflow etc.

What do people recommend? Should we connect our guttering (assuming
it's possible) or keep separate? Is there a real chance of damp due
to the gap, or is it best to keep as-is?

Just tell her that you haven't had any problems in all the time it's been
speperate so there's no need to replace anything at this time.
Her fitter is pressurising her into talking you into having yours done,
probably with the offering of a price reduction in her job - the fact is,
hundreds of thousands of semis have seperate systems without problems, and
if she's having damp problems at the join now, it's probably because her
existing gutter is running the wrong way - toward the joint instead of away
from it and towards the outlet.

Andy Cap wrote:

18 of our semis are served by what was a private sewer along the rear of
the properties. When that blocked the same argument ensued, with those
up the road refusing to contribute. The Council took the problem over,
added 10% and split the bill across all the properties. Fortunately now
as I understand it, the Water companies have taken them over.

Yes, nicely summarised here

http://www.water.org.uk/home/policy/private-sewers-transfer/customer-info/before-after

Similarly, the water companies seem set to take over private sewage
pumping stations by 2016.

Depends on the drop and its direction mainly. If it is all going your way,
then you will get all their **** and crud as well.
Half the problem is that originally as far as I can tell, the highest point
was the join so it often mattered little if they were n joined or not.
You need to stand out during a cloudburst and watch if the water overflows
and where, or go up a ladder and pour some water and see whe re i t goes.
Trying to get contractors to look after the levels and drops properly can
be a strain on the nerves..

Brian

--
Brian Gaff....Note, this account does not accept Bcc: email.
graphics are great, but the blind can't hear them
Email:
__________________________________________________ __________________________________________________ __________


"David Hearn" wrote in message
...
Our 1930's semi currently has separate plastic guttering systems, with
each half having their own single downpipe, although our downpipe is cast
iron. We've lived there over 10 years, with our elderly neighbour living
there far, far longer. Neither gutter have been replaced in that period,
but as neither is cast iron, both have been replaced at some point.

Our neighbour approached us to say that she's replacing her guttering.
Apparently she also mentioned something about having a damp problem, but
I'm not certain where it is, or whether the guttering replacement is meant
to resolve this. Apparently there was some discussion about whether we
wanted our side replaced as well - we can't afford this.

Today we've been asked to confirm whether we want the guttering systems
connected. At present they're separate, and doing a quick check around
neighbouring properties, there's a mix of both joined and unjoined. I
suspected originally they were joined, but over the years some have been
separated as one half replace theirs.

When I said I was happy to leave it as is, she was fairly polite, but
pressed the point that (she was advised?) as there would be a gap (however
small), that water could run down and cause damp. She repeatedly said
that she's fine with our decision, but to make it clear she's warned us of
the potential problems. I think she was trying to make it clear that if
things go wrong, its our fault.

My reason for not wanting them joined was mainly that it's not been a
problem for the last 10 years (and likely longer), and that I'd like to
avoid shared systems were possible to prevent potential disputes should
one side leak/overflow etc.

What do people recommend? Should we connect our guttering (assuming it's
possible) or keep separate? Is there a real chance of damp due to the
gap, or is it best to keep as-is?

Thanks

David

On Sat, 01 Mar 2014 11:48:40 +0000, David Hearn
wrote:

What do people recommend? Should we connect our guttering (assuming
it's possible) or keep separate? Is there a real chance of damp due to
the gap, or is it best to keep as-is?

Thanks

David

You're very lucky to have separate gutters. I live in a terraced house
second from the end, and the water from the one on the end has to
travel 4 houses to the nearest downpipe. The gutters drip a bit, and
water just sits there, so I reckon the downpipe is blocked.
--
Dave W

On 01/03/2014 16:18, Dave W wrote:
On Sat, 01 Mar 2014 11:48:40 +0000, David Hearn
wrote:

What do people recommend? Should we connect our guttering (assuming
it's possible) or keep separate? Is there a real chance of damp due to
the gap, or is it best to keep as-is?

Thanks

David

You're very lucky to have separate gutters. I live in a terraced house
second from the end, and the water from the one on the end has to
travel 4 houses to the nearest downpipe. The gutters drip a bit, and
water just sits there, so I reckon the downpipe is blocked.


Same here. A couple of years ago next door had a 4 foot icicle on the
underside of their gutter, right above the front door. Could have been a
horror show

In article ,
David Hearn writes:
What do people recommend? Should we connect our guttering (assuming
it's possible) or keep separate? Is there a real chance of damp due to
the gap, or is it best to keep as-is?

Like others said, keep them separate.

A join between two different makes of guttering is always
something prone to leak. Also, it makes the length of
gutter to expand and contract much longer, rather than
the gap being an expansion gap. The fall and position of
the two gutters might not be correct to join up at that
point anyway.

I formed a piece of lead to direct any water which comes
through the gap into one or other gutter.

--
Andrew Gabriel
[email address is not usable -- followup in the newsgroup]

"Tim Watts" wrote in message
...
On 01/03/14 11:48, David Hearn wrote:

What do people recommend? Should we connect our guttering (assuming
it's possible) or keep separate? Is there a real chance of damp due to
the gap, or is it best to keep as-is?

A small gap is irrelevant - think how much rain hits your walls anyway.

And even working gutters catch some rain on the outside that runs down
underneath and drips!

I would not connect them if your downpipes are set up to cope with an
isolated system.

Then if she (or new occupant) fails to clean her gutters or fix a blocked
downpipe, you do not suddenly get the benefit of a lot of extra water or
muck down yours.

Never share any service with a neighbour that you don't have to! Ever...

Very true. Especially a driveway.

"Andy Burns" wrote in message
o.uk...
Tim Watts wrote:

Never share any service with a neighbour that you don't have to! Ever...

My neighbour and I jointly replaced the soffits/fascias/guttering of our
houses about 7 years ago, I organised the materials, they borrowed a
scaffold tower and we shared the work.

There's a single run of guttering front and back, in other houses I've
known, the front gutter has a downpipe on one house and the rear is on the
other, but here both downpipes are on my house.

After we'd finished the work he asked me for copies of the receipts for
the materials and he'd square up, when I did so he struck-off his half of
the cost for the downpipes and outlets, on the grounds they were all mine,
cheeky git! I felt like putting a hacksaw through the gutter at the
mid-point and fitting two end-stops.


The normal way here is one has the front pipe and one has the rear.

On Sun, 2 Mar 2014 10:14:12 +0000 (UTC), Andrew Gabriel wrote:

What do people recommend? Should we connect our guttering
(assuming
it's possible) or keep separate? Is there a real chance of damp
due to
the gap, or is it best to keep as-is?


I formed a piece of lead to direct any water which comes
through the gap into one or other gutter.

This is the way to go, water coming down the roof does not hit the
top of the end stops or down the small (1/2 inch) gap between them.

As others have said don't share "services" with neighbours unless you
really, really, have no option. Even then such shared things ought to
be in the deeds and the procedure etc for dealing with and paying for
problems laid down.

--
Cheers
Dave.

"Andy Burns" wrote in message
o.uk...
Tim Watts wrote:

Never share any service with a neighbour that you don't have to! Ever...

My neighbour and I jointly replaced the soffits/fascias/guttering of our
houses about 7 years ago, I organised the materials, they borrowed a
scaffold tower and we shared the work.

There's a single run of guttering front and back, in other houses I've
known, the front gutter has a downpipe on one house and the rear is on the
other, but here both downpipes are on my house.

After we'd finished the work he asked me for copies of the receipts for
the materials and he'd square up, when I did so he struck-off his half of
the cost for the downpipes and outlets, on the grounds they were all mine,
cheeky git! I felt like putting a hacksaw through the gutter at the
mid-point and fitting two end-stops.



The cheeky ****.

Shove some expanding foam up his cars exhaust pipe and put dog**** under his
car door handles. It's all he deserves.

--
Adam

In message , ARW
writes
After we'd finished the work he asked me for copies of the receipts
for the materials and he'd square up, when I did so he struck-off his
half of the cost for the downpipes and outlets, on the grounds they
were all mine, cheeky git! I felt like putting a hacksaw through the
gutter at the mid-point and fitting two end-stops.



The cheeky ****.

Shove some expanding foam up his cars exhaust pipe and put dog****
under his car door handles. It's all he deserves.


Expanding foam may have competition.

Fence post fixing foam sounds interesting for a similar purpose.

http://www.u-can.tv/u-can-products/


I do worry about my thought processes sometimes :-(
--
Bill

On 01/03/2014 11:48, David Hearn wrote:

What do people recommend? Should we connect our guttering (assuming
it's possible) or keep separate? Is there a real chance of damp due to
the gap, or is it best to keep as-is?

I would opt for a shared system since it gives extra downpipes in case
one gets blocked.


--
Cheers,

John.

/================================================== ===============\
| Internode Ltd - http://www.internode.co.uk |
|-----------------------------------------------------------------|
| John Rumm - john(at)internode(dot)co(dot)uk |
\================================================= ================/