How to Fix a Leaky Gutter

Gutters are an important part of your home maintenance. Your gutters help to keep rainwater and snow melt from accumulating around your foundation, where the water can cause serious and expensive damage.Damage to gutters can be caused by several forces, but the two most common repairs are holes in your gutter and leaks around seams where two pieces of gutter join. With a little care, both problems are easily solved by the average homeowner.

Difficulty: Easy

Instructions

Things You'll Need:

• Gutter adhesive
• Aluminum flashing or fiberglass patch
• Fiberglass resin
• Roofing cement
• Sponge
• Scouring pad
• Dish soap
• Paper towels

1. Look for a manufacturer's name on the end cap of your gutter. Go to your local hardware store and purchase one or more tubes of gutter adhesive made by the manufacturer of your particular gutter.

2. Clean the area that needs to be repaired. Use a sponge to remove any standing water. Use dish soap and a scrubbing pad to thoroughly clean the area. Rinse with clean water and then dry with paper towels.

3. Squeeze the gutter adhesive onto the leaking area if the leak is small or if the leak occurs at a seam. Use a small twig to spread the adhesive if necessary. Make certain the adhesive covers the entire seam that is leaking or fills the entire small hole that is leaking. Allow the gutter adhesive to dry as per the manufacturer's instructions.

4. Spread the gutter adhesive around any larger holes that need repair. Cut a piece of aluminum flashing approximately 2 inches longer and 2 inches wider than the hole that requires repair. Press your aluminum flashing into the gutter adhesive that surrounds the hole, making certain that the adhesive firmly holds the flashing all the way around. Spread roofing cement around the edges of the flashing to prevent water from seeping under the edges of your patch. Allow to dry.

5. If using a fiberglass patch, spread gutter adhesive around the hole, and cut a piece of fiberglass patch that is 2 inches longer and 2 inches wider than the hole. Press the patch firmly down. Using a brush, spread a layer of fiberglass resin over the fiberglass and allow to dry. Once dry, spread a layer of roofing cement over the entire patch. Allow the roofing cement to spread past the edges of the fiberglass patch so that the edges are thoroughly covered.

Tips & Warnings

• When repairing aluminum gutters, ONLY use aluminum flashing or fiberglass as a patching material. Any other type of metal will set up a chemical reaction that will weaken your gutter prematurely.