Over a period of time, it has been often observed that the end caps of gutters causes leakage due to loosening. It impacts the ability of the gutter to effectively drain away rainwater. This type of leakage may cause water damage and defeat the purpose of gutter installation to an extent. Hence fixing such issues should be on the priority list to save your home from such damages.

Gutter Repairs

Below are the 6 steps that can help you in gutter repairs:

#1. Identify the leakage: The first step is to identify the area of the gutter which is prone to leakage and needs a repair. During rainstorms it is very difficult to locate where the actual leakage erupted. Hence, wait for a nice day when you can locate and pinpoint this leak. To identify faster, you can use your garden hose. Put it inside the gutter, turn on the water and locate such leaks.

#2. The leaky end caps should be sealed: Once all the leaks are identified, the next thing is to seal them right away. Caps at the end of the gutter may loosen due to excessive water rush. However, even a minimal separation of this cap leads to leakage of water.  Before applying any sealing agent, make sure you remove any debris or peeling sealant. Also, the area where you are required to apply sealant must be clean and dry.

Make sure that the end cap is just loosened, and not damaged. In case of damage, do not try to fix it with a sealant as excessive water pressure will blow it away. To apply new sealant, the older one needs to be cut away as along with any rivet. It should be taken out carefully using a drill. If you are using aluminum gutters, it is recommended to use pop rivet through each side of end cap for effective results.

#3. Faulty seams should be treated with sealants: An important step in gutter repairs, the joints at gutter corners or between the sections can also be prone to leakage. In case of seamless gutters, the corners may at times also lead the water to seep through. Ensure that the seam is tight. All the sections should lie flat against each other and there should be no gap. For any gap, brackets and fasteners should be used to make them flat. Once everything in place, these seams shall be fixed in the same way as the leaky end caps were fixed.

#4. For sagging gutters, hangers can come to rescue: Due to tremendous water weight, the gutters may sag leading to pulling them away from home surface in worst cases. To fix these gutters tight against their fascia boards, you can fetch hangers from any home store. The hangers should be placed along with the rafters. Sagging can be effectively removed by tightening each hanger at every 24 inches or at every rafter.

Gutter Repairs

#5. Sidings should be fastened with Wayward Downspouts: In order to channel the water from the gutter to the rain barrel, lawn or other areas, downspouts plays a vital role. These downspouts are attached from the top to bottom of the house and are closer to the elbows. Where the downspouts are long, a couple of middle attachments are required as well.

The elbow connections can get loose due to the loosening of the downspouts. Hence they are required to be secured with clips to the sidings. The downspout need to be straight when you screw the first clip and you should ensure the same before fastening the others.

#6. To curb the overflow of water, use a splash guard: As the water gushes down from the gutters with tremendous pressure, it often shoots over the gutter as well. Using a splash guard at the top of the gutter can stop the water from spilling over.

This 6-step guide for gutter repairs will help you to fix all your gutter issues perfectly.