No more dripping gutters
If you have leaky gutters, you need to learn roof gutter repair. It’s easy, and you’ll save a lot of money by doing it yourself. Get ready for the rain and keep your home in tip top shape!
Gutter leak repair: The basics
Leaky gutters are common in many Aussie homes - fortunately, they’re easily fixed. The most common causes of dripping or small leaks are missing seam sealants, gutters that are pulling away from the house, water pooling in the gutters, or blocked downspouts.
You can usually identify the problem when you see water damage or stains on the siding, discoloration or debris on the bottom of the gutter, puddles under a part of the gutter, or water dripping from the gutter after a rain.
Gutter cleaning and repair: A how-to guide
Your first step to repairing leaking gutters is proper diagnosis. The first thing you need to do is check is that the gutters and downspouts aren’t blocked up with leaves or other debris. If that’s the case, you can clean them out by hand, with a pressure washer, or by disassembling a section and gently pushing the blockage out with a broom handle.
If everything’s clear, the most likely culprit will be missing or damaged sealant which has dried up or cracked between sections of gutter. This calls for a simple gutter leak repair which involves applying new sealant to the area. Depending on the damage, you might be able to apply sealant directly into the gap between two sections. But if the gutter sections fit tightly together, you’ll need to loosen the screws or rivets that tie them together. If that’s the case, make sure you clean the area you’re about to seal with a wire brush first. Then, applying sealant between the sections and reassemble.
If you find water is pooling in one section of the gutter instead of travelling to the downspout, it could be that the section of the gutter is sagging or pulling away from the fascia. This means you’ll need to reattach or shore up the gutter so that the water flows smoothly to the nearest downspout. Be sure to repair any damaged gutter seams at this time as well.
As you can see, these repairs are pretty easy, but they’re important to address quickly - water dripping down the house or collecting where it shouldn't is a primary cause of costly problems like rotted wood, mould, damage to painted surfaces, and more.
Some homes are equipped with copper gutters. These are beautiful and often classic looking. However, copper gutter repair requires a different approach as the gutter sections are usually soldered together. If you’re experiencing minor leaks in your copper gutters, the sealant we mention below will take care of it.
The best sealant for rain gutter repair
Now you know how to fix leaking gutters, but what’s the best gutter sealant to use?
For most minor repairs, you’ll find Loctite Stik’N Seal Outdoor Adhesive will do the trick. This great all-purpose adhesive bonds to aluminium, brick, steel, plastic, and many other materials. It’s waterproof and forms a long-lasting, superior seal. Its thick consistency makes it easy to fill and seal uneven surfaces and gaps between gutter sections.