Clogged, leaking, or damaged gutters can lead to a variety of problems around your home. Fortunately, many common gutter issues can be repaired by homeowners with some basic DIY skills and tools. With a little effort, you can often fix minor gutter problems yourself and avoid the hassle and expense of calling in a professional.
What Causes Gutters to Clog or Overflow?
Gutter overflow and clogging is one of the most common issues homeowners face. Here are some of the main causes of clogged or overflowing gutters:
- Leaves, twigs, and other debris – Trees and plants around your home will shed leaves, seeds, flowers, twigs, and other organic matter throughout the year. Much of this debris can end up in your gutters, gradually building up over time.
- Moss and algae growth – Standing water and moisture in gutters provides an ideal environment for moss, algae, mold, and mildew to grow. Over time, this growth can form a thick mat that blocks water drainage.
- Granules from asphalt shingles – As your roofing shingles weather and deteriorate, small asphalt granules will come loose and can collect in the gutters.
- Dirt and sediment – Gutters are exposed to all kinds of wind-blown dust, dirt, pollen, pollution, and other sediment that can accumulate over the seasons.
- Improper gutter slope – If gutters are sagging or improperly sloped, water can pool instead of running off. Any debris that enters the gutter will settle in these pools and lead to clogs.
- Heavy rains – Intense downpours can overwhelm clogged gutters causing them to overflow. The excess weight of rainwater can also cause gutters to pull away from fascia boards.
Regular cleaning and maintenance are essential for preventing most gutter clogs. But even well maintained gutters can become overwhelmed during certain times of year.
Signs You Have a Serious Clog or Overflow Problem:
- Water pooling around the foundation after rainstorms
- Mushy soil or visible erosion around the foundation
- Leaks along ceilings or walls inside your attic and home
- Damage to fascia, soffits, exterior walls or landscaping from water spilling out of gutters
- Gutters overflowing or leaking over the edges even during normal rains
- Gutters pulling away from the eaves due to weight and pressure of pooled water
If you spot these signs, it’s important to thoroughly clean the gutters as soon as possible. You may also need to make repairs to divert water properly again. Letting serious clogs and overflows go for too long can lead to extensive and costly damage.
Common Problems and DIY Solutions for Leaking Gutters:
Small Holes and Leaks in Gutter Seams:
Causes: Normal wear and tear, seam separation, damage from debris
DIY Fix: Carefully clean out the surrounding gutter area. Apply gutter sealant liberally over any small holes, cracks, or separated seams where leaks are occurring. Press sealant into openings. Sealant is available in squeeze tubes or caulk guns.
Rust Along Gutter Seams and Joints:
Causes: Normal oxidation over time, water exposure, poor initial installation, missing protective paint coating
DIY Fix: Thoroughly scrape and sand rusted areas to get down to bare metal again. Wipe clean and apply rust-inhibiting primer. Follow up with a top coat of exterior latex paint matched to your gutter color.
Leaks at Downspout Connections:
Causes: Gutter has pulled away from fascia board, loose spike and ferrules, cracks or holes around the downspout.
DIY Fix: Remove spike and ferrule connections at leaking joints. Apply fresh gutter sealant around seams and re-secure with spike and ferrules. Use wire to hang gutter if sagging. Seal small cracks and holes.
Leaking Gutter Seam Bolts:
Causes: Deteriorating washers, loose nuts, corrosion around bolts.
DIY Fix: Remove and inspect bolts along leaking seams. Replace any deteriorated washers. Use gloves to tighten nuts firmly again. Apply gutter sealant around bolts for extra protection.
Leaks at Miters and End Caps:
Causes: Gaps or cracks from lack of maintenance, damage, or poor corner connections
DIY Fix: Check end caps are secure and replace any missing ones. Apply gutter sealant liberally along seams and corners. Repair any cracks at miter joints with sealant.
How to Unclog Gutters:
Here are step-by-step instructions for clearing out clogged gutters yourself:
Gather Necessary Tools and Materials:
- Ladder or scaffolding to safely reach gutters
- Gloves for hand protection
- Small trowel, scoop, or spoon for scraping
- 5-gallon bucket for debris
- Garden hose with spray nozzle
- Eye protection like goggles
Inspect and Remove Large Debris:
Don proper eye protection and gloves before starting. Use a ladder to access the roof safely. Visually inspect along the entire gutter looking for piles of leaves, packed debris, moss, and blockages. Reach in by hand to remove and discard large debris like sticks and leaves into your bucket.
Loosen Compacted Debris Layers:
Use a small trowel or spoon to gently loosen and scrape at debris mats and compacted dirt. Try to break up and remove moss, packed leaves, roof granules and other blockages. Remove all loosened material.
Spray Out Small Debris with a Hose:
Attach a pressurized nozzle to your garden hose. Carefully spray along the top and bottom length of gutters to sluice out grime and flush away smaller debris. Consider starting at the furthest end point and working backwards to prevent debris backups.
Check Drainage and Flow:
Run water into all downspouts and drains to ensure gutters are fully clear. Water should run quickly and freely the entire length without pooling or overflowing. If flow remains slow, you’ll need to remove any remaining debris clogs.
Clean Out Downspouts:
Use the garden hose to spray out any debris blockages inside elbows and downspout pipes as well. Make sure water can flow unimpeded from gutters through elbows and downspouts.
Once finished, make sure to fully sweep off the roof area to clear away any debris that got loosened in the cleaning process. Rinse out your bucket and tools.
DIY Gutter Installation and Replacement:
Installing new gutters or replacing sections of damaged gutters is a doable DIY project for many homeowners. Here are some tips:
Gather Necessary Materials:
- Gutter sections in your required lengths and designs
- End caps, drain outlets, downspout elbows, hanger straps, sealant
- Power drill, rivets, stainless steel screws, gutter spike and ferrules
- Ladder, eye protection, work gloves
Remove Old Gutters (If Applicable):
Carefully detach old fasteners and supports like spike/ferrules or screws along fascia boards. Seal over any open holes left behind. Discard old gutter sections.
Measure and Cut New Gutters:
Use a tape measure to determine required gutter lengths. Mark and cut any gutter and downspout pieces to size. Attach end caps and seal all seams.
Hang New Gutter Against Fascia Board:
Position gutter sections end-to-end and hold in place against fascia board. Predrill holes and insert spike/ferrules to temporarily hang gutters as you work.
Join Section Seams:
Line up gutter sections. On the inside seam, apply gutter sealant and rivet pieces together using stainless steel rivets. Follow up with sealant on the outside seam edge as well.
Secure Gutters Firmly:
Use your drill to screw in gutter hanger straps along the backside every 24 to 36 inches. Arrange straps sloping slightly forward. Make sure gutters are aligned neatly and firmly in place.
Connect Downspouts:
Attach downspout sections to elbows using sheet metal screws. Connect elbows to gutter outlet drain tubes using rivets and sealant. Make sure water will flow freely.
Check Slope and Adjust Supports:
Run water into newly installed gutters and check for leaks at seams. Adjust any gutter hangers to create a proper slope of 1/4 inch downward per 10 feet of gutter. This allows water to run off effectively.
Touch Up Paint:
Use exterior acrylic latex paint to match your existing trim and touch up rivets, screw heads, and any scrapes or nicks in the new gutter surface. This protects from corrosion.
Preventing Damage from Snow and Ice Dams:
In colder climates, packed snow and ice can easily damage gutters. Follow these tips to help minimize gutter damage and ice dams in winter:
- Clean gutters thoroughly before winter to allow water to flow freely through any early snow melts.
- Check and remove any leaves or debris that may gather in gutters during fall and early winter before ice dams start forming.
- Use gutter guards to help keep leaves and debris from accumulating and trapping moisture during winter.
- Install heating cables (de-icing cables) to help melt ice and snow and promote water runoff.
- Improve attic and roof ventilation and insulation to reduce indoor heat loss that can melt snow at the edges and contribute to ice dams.
- Create channels or grooves through ice dams to provide drainage paths and relieve gutter pressure. Carefully chip away at ice using a roof rake or axe.
- Pry gutters away from the fascia board in spots to allow water to drain behind gutters if ice blockages persist.
Prevention is best to minimize expensive gutter repairs from winter damage each year.
Identifying and Fixing Common Gutter Leaks:
Here are some steps for finding and patching the most common gutter and downspout leaks:
Pinpoint the Leak Location:
Go up on a dry day and run a hose inside gutters to simulate rain. Observe where leaks occur. Leaks will often show up at seams, seal failures, loose hangers, cracks, and holes. Also check elbows and downspout connections.
Clean and Dry the Area:
Use a gutter scoop or wet/dry vac to remove any standing water and debris surrounding the leak. Allow the area to fully dry out. This helps sealants adhere properly.
Apply the Appropriate Sealant:
For small holes and cracks, a gutter repair sealant or caulk is best. Apply a generous amount directly over the leak and spread smooth. For lengthwise seams, consider using gutter joint tape with sealant.
Refasten Any Loose Hanger Straps:
Use new gutter screws to firmly re-secure any loose gutter straps or fasteners near the leak. This prevents further warping and separation that could worsen leaks.
Patch Larger Holes with Sheet Metal:
Cut small pieces of sheet metal or flashing to overlap and cover larger holes. Drill pilot holes and use gutter rivets to secure the patch. Apply sealant around patched edges.
Unclog Nearby Downspouts:
Check if nearby downspouts are blocked. Clear out any debris so water can drain freely. Clogs can sometimes force water out holes and leaks at seams. Proper drainage prevents this.
Be sure to recheck your repairs after the next heavy rainfall. Further touch ups with sealant or added fasteners may be needed to resolve more stubborn leaks. Call a gutter repair professional for leaks that persist.
How To Clean Out Underground Drain Pipes:
Underground gutter drainage pipes can also become clogged over time. Here are tips for clearing them:
Locate Pipe Endpoints:
Find where the downspout elbow connects to underground pipe. Also locate the end point where pipes empty into lawn drainage pits, storm drains etc.
Flush Debris Using a Hose:
Attach high pressure nozzle to garden hose. Insert hose into elbow opening and downpipe. Flush for several minutes with strong water flow to propel out debris.
Use a Plumber’s Snake:
For stubborn clogs, feed a long plumber’s drain snake into the downspout elbow opening. Work the snake through the pipes, rotating and pushing to scrub away debris blocking the line.
Clear Ground Drains:
Remove debris like leaves, dirt and sticks from storm drain grates where gutter pipes empty. Use a wet/dry vac to suck out loose sediment that may have washed into floor drain pits.
Check Slope and Position:
Ensure underground pipes remain properly sloped to promote drainage. Add buried extensions if needed so pipes drain well away from the foundation.
Consider Replacement:
Severely damaged or misaligned underground pipes may need replacement. Install new 4-6 inch PVC gutter drainage pipe sloped 1/4 inch per foot. Add gravel, sleeve and filters.
Routine maintenance like flushing and snaking can clear out most underground gutter drainage pipes and prevent serious backups.
Stopping Ongoing Leaks at Screws and Rivets:
Leaking gutter screws, bolt heads, and rivets are often signs of underlying issues:
- Loose fasteners that need tightening and resealing
- Corrosion around fastener holes that should be scraped and primed
- Misaligned gutters pulling at seams
- Improperly sloped gutters causing overflow pressure
For ongoing leaks at gutter fasteners:
Remove old fasteners – Take out any loose screws or rivets that are leaking significantly.Scrape and sand corrosion around holes.
Seal holes – Squirt gutter sealant into old fastener holes. Allow to dry completely.
Realign gutters – Use hangers and spikes to adjust gutter position and slope as needed.
Re-secure firmly – Drill in new stainless-steel screws or rivets slightly above old holes. Tighten down.
Caulk fastener heads – Run a final bead of gutter sealant around screw heads and rivets for added leak protection.
Also evaluate if underlying gutter alignment and slope issues need attention to prevent leaks from recurring.
How To Unclog Downspouts:
Clogged downspouts prevent proper gutter drainage and can lead to overflows, ice dams, and water damage. Here are ways to clear clogs:
- Use a pressure nozzle on your hose to forcefully spray out debris from the top and bottom.
- Feed a plumber’s snake down from the top to scrub out compacted debris inside elbows and pipes.
- Remove elbow at bottom and flush out debris using garden hose.
- Check for any bends or sags in downspout piping that hold standing water and debris. Straighten.
- Extend downspouts further from the house foundation to prevent backups.
- Consider installing downspout filters to catch debris before it clogs elbows and pipes.
- Make sure underground gutter drainage pipes are not blocked where downspouts connect. Snaking the pipes may be required.
- Replace damaged and severely blocked downspouts.
Remember to check both the visible portion of downspouts as well as underground outflow pipes for any clogs or obstructions.
Stopping Rust and Corrosion on Gutters:
To help halt rust and corrosion on steel and aluminum gutters try these DIY solutions:
Light Surface Rust:
- Thoroughly scour with steel wool or sandpaper to remove loose rust flakes.
- Wipe clean then apply gutter-specific rust treatment primer.
- Follow up with 1-2 top coats of outdoor enamel paint.
Isolated Rust Spots:
- Use sandpaper to sand down to bare metal surrounding rust spots.
- Clean and apply primer just to sanded areas and rust spots.
- Paint small touch-up patches with enamel paint matched to existing gutter color.
Extensive Rust and Corrosion:
- Consider completely replacing deteriorated gutter sections.
- Alternatively, take down gutters and use chemical rust remover solution to strip all rust and restore to bare metal again.
- Quickly seal with metal primer then rehang gutters. Finish with one or two coats of outdoor enamel paint.
Regular maintenance cleaning, touch-up painting, and rust-proofing can help halt corrosion and extend the lifespan of your gutters.
Adjusting Sagging Gutters:
Gutters that sag and pull away from the fascia board can lead to a variety of problems:
- Debris and leaves building up in pooling water along sagging areas
- Leaks as gutters separate at seams due to misalignment
- Spillage as gutters overflow with excess water weight
To adjust sagging gutters:
- Remove gutter hanger spike/ferrule straps one section at a time.
- Bend hangers so they slope slightly forward and re-secure gutters.
- For middle sags, screw in additional gutter support braces tightly fitted underneath.
- Replace any deteriorated hangers and add more hangers every 24-36 inches for better support.
- Verify gutters now have proper 1/4 inch per 10 feet downward slope.
In extreme cases, the fascia boards themselves may be sagging and in need of structural reinforcement before hanging new gutters.
Preventing Environmental Gutter Damage:
Exposure to sun, rain, snow, pollution and other environmental factors can gradually damage gutters. Here