Fixing Leaky Rain Gutters

Water leaking between gutter and fascia.

Fixing leaky rain gutters.

The caulk adheres quickly and as it cures it remains flexible. Rushing water during rainstorms exposure to weather extremes heavy loads of snow in the coldest climes clogs of fallen leaves and the general ravages of time. Seal leaky gutter joints and small holes using gutter sealant applied from the inside the gutter. Leaky gutters every connection on a metal gutter needs to be sealed.

Apply plastic roofing cement over small holes. Rain gutters take a lot of abuse. When there is rain the water is expected to roll down the roof and into the gutters. You ll find patch kits at home improvement centers for about 10.

If your gutters are leaking the prime suspects are the joints between sections. Bend the strip to fit and embed the flashing in the cement. Adjust or add gutter hangers as needed see more about hangers below. Standing water in gutters eventually will rust galvanized steel seams or seep through the seams in aluminum gutters.

The gutters then direct the water to a downspout allowing the water to run down until it reaches the ground. First check for signs of standing water and sagging. Butyl rubber caulks marketed by dap as their butyl flex line is an excellent choice for repairing leaky gutters. Seam sealer can handle submersion for long periods of time.

However more often then not weeks or even days later the leak returns to the befuddlement of the home owner. If the holes are larger than nail holes use tin snips to cut a strip of flashing the same amterial as the gutter wide enough to fill the area. Feather the roofing cement out on the surrounding area to flatten any steep edges. Repair larger holes using a gutter patch kit or a scrap of metal flashing glued down with sealant.

Buy a product that s specifically formulated to seal gutter seams. But first let s discuss you can t afford to ignore a leaky gutter. Time after time we see the failed efforts of well intentioned diy ers head up the ladder and attempt to silicone and spray their way to success. End caps splices drop outlets and miters.