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Guttering Specialist terms explained — St Albans glossary

Fall

The slight slope along a gutter run toward the outlet. Too little and water stands and overflows; too much and it outruns the downpipe at the corner. Realigning the fall is often the actual fix where a gutter has been "cleared" repeatedly without improvement.

Hopper Head(Hopper)

The open funnel where one or more pipes discharge into a downpipe, common on older properties. Hoppers block invisibly from ground level and are a frequent hidden cause of a persistent damp patch on the wall below.

Ogee vs Half-Round(Profile)

The two common domestic gutter profiles. Ogee has a squared front and higher capacity; half-round is the traditional semicircle. Mixing profiles on one elevation looks wrong and, more practically, means fittings will not marry up.

Cast Iron Guttering(Cast iron)

Original guttering on many period and conservation-area properties, sometimes required to be retained or matched. It is heavier, needs periodic painting, and repairs demand a contractor who works in the material rather than one who will propose replacing it with plastic.