It's important that the gutters on your house are always kept in good repair. This is because the gutters are part of the entire system that collects water, then distributes it so it runs away from your house. Otherwise, rain and the water created from melted snow and ice would run off of your roof and flood the surrounding ground. Some of it would soak into the ground too, and cause water leakage into your basement or crawl space.
The most common of all problems is undoubtedly having a clogged - up gutter. If you don't have covers installed, leaves, small limbs, tree nuts, and other debris can easily build up inside your gutters. Clogs cause the water to overflow over the edges of your gutters, instead of allowing it to flow freely through them. To remedy this problem, you will need a ladder, a bucket, and a small garden trowel to remove the debris. Hang the bucket on the ladder, then, simply scoop the debris out into the bucket. When it becomes full, dump the bucket and reuse it. Then, flush your gutters out thoroughly by using a garden hose to eliminate any remaining dirt or debris.
Finally, to end the problem of your gutters clogging up once and for all, you should install gutter covers. You can purchase gutter covers at your local home supply store. They are flat lengths of hard plastic that have perforations running down their entire length. The perforations allow the water to pass through, but yet they block leaves, small limbs, tree nuts, and other debris. Be sure to follow the manufacturer's instructions on the package in order to achieve the best results.
Another common problem with gutters is leaking, which is often caused by holes, cracks, or a disconnected joint. You will need to inspect the gutters on your house to find the actual cause of the problem. Holes or cracks in hard plastic gutters are relatively easy to repair because you can glue them with a heavy duty, water - resistant glue. Clean and dry the leaking spots first, then follow the manufacturer's instructions for the best results. Holes and cracks in galvanized metal gutters can be fixed too. To do this, you will first need to clean and dry the leaking spots first. Any rust will need to be removed with a stiff wire brush.
Then, coat the leaking area with a generous layer of good cement. Be sure to use cement that is specially made for use on galvanized metal gutters. Follow the manufacturer's directions on the container in order to achieve the best results. Then, before the cement dries, measure and cut pieces of thin aluminum to fit over the leaky holes. Press these pieces into the wet cement, then, allow the cement to dry undisturbed.
If you find joints in your metal gutter that have become loosened or disconnected, first, clean and dry off the two ends of the gutter pipes. Then, push the two ends back together. Finally, cement the seam together with good cement. Gutters are hung - so they are slightly slanted towards the downspout- on the edge of your roof with metal hangers. After years of use, the hangers can stretch or break and allow the gutters to lose some of their slant. This, in turn, causes water to collect inside your gutters, instead of allowing it to flow out. To remedy this problem, you will need to reposition your gutters and / or the metal hangers. Starting at the left edge, measure from the top of the roof to the top of the gutter edge. Continue to measure every three inches or so. You should be able to figure out a pattern of how the gutter should be hung where it is slanted properly. That is, if the farthest left edge measures one inch down, and the right edge measures six inches down, that would tell you how much the gutter needs to slope continuously down.
Detach the metal hangers that are just around the level area of your gutter. Then, measure, mark and adjust the gutter so it slants correctly toward the downspout. Reattach or replace the metal hangers so they hold the gutter securely.
