6 Ways to Save Your Home Gutters From Replacement

Home Gutters From Replacement

Gutters are a necessary item to have on our homes, but unfortunately, they need attention from time to time to keep them in good shape. We already know how much you love cleaning your gutters (insert sarcasm here), but what is equally annoying is having to repair them. Gutter projects don’t always result in complete replacement, which means you can actually tackle the fixes yourself. In this article, we are going to discuss some of the most common gutter problems. Then, we are going to arm you with the best fixes for those problems so you can get on with your life.

If you’re consistently finding flaws in your gutters from either age or weather wear and tear, you’ve come to the right place. Here are our top 6 gutter fixes that you can do on your own.

As your gutter approaches the ground, it is often in the way when you’re trying to do tasks like landscaping. Home gutters are inflexible and tough to work around when you’re attempting to weed the flower beds or add mulch. Have you considered adding a swinging hinge so it can be lifted up and out of the way? You can find these kinds of hinges at any home improvement store or online. You would disconnect that section of gutter and cut it about a foot or two from the ground. From there, add the hinge to both sides of the pieces so it flips upward. You can use a bungee cord to hold it up while you’re working under it.

One of the best ways to keep sidewalks and patio areas clear of unsightly downspouts is to add a retractable one. This product will also save your plants from washing out when heavy rain shows up. The way these downspouts work is they roll up to the bottom of your gutter on their own. They are made from durable but flexible plastic or rubber. When there is enough water pressure, the downspout will roll out across your flower bed or sidewalk. After the water pressure is gone, it will once again roll up on its own.

Do you have a multi-pitch roof where roof lines merge to create a superhighway for water? Chances are you see this issue during a heavier rain, which can leave everything below that corner of your home, a muddy mess. There are gutter diverters on the market that will reroute water giving it time to disperse without flooding your gutter system. They act as a wall giving the gutter more height but not a lot of weight. You add these to the outer edge of the gutter where water tends to spillover. If left ignored, water can seep into siding resulting in leaking issues or even mold. Further damage can harm your foundation leaving it susceptible to settling and cracking.

There are few things in this world more annoying than the constant sound of dripping on metal surfaces. This is especially true if your gutter fixture is close to a bedroom or window that you like to keep open. Here is a quick fix. Add a rope from the top of the gutter system to the bottom. The water will absorb into the rope before making its way to metal surfaces. Check the rope regularly to ensure it is not collecting debris and blocking your system from draining correctly.

If you notice water draining down the side of your house, you might have a gutter flashing problem. Gutter flashing needs to be added to the back of all gutters to ensure water is routed into the gutter and not behind it. The flashing acts as a bridge for the water. It connects the gutter to the shingle, so it doesn’t have a chance to drip in between the two pieces. Installing it is a little tricky since you have to work around the apron and fascia, but using tin snips can assist in working around those areas. Make sure you use the right kind of flashing for your gutter material. Mixing metals can cause chemical reactions which will leave you with rusted out gutters.

When you need to make a repair and want to avoid replacing a whole section of your gutter, we suggest trying slip joints. A slip joint is designed to slide over and under damaged areas that aren’t otherwise easy to repair. Slip joint colors are basic, usually white or brown, but if you use box miter you can typically get whatever color you need to match your gutters. You save yourself a lot of money by using this quick fix to make the damage nearly undetectable. Make sure you are using the right material for your gutter and don’t forget to add a sealant if the damage prevents the material from good contact.

We hope this has given you a little more insight on how you can fix common gutter repairs on your own. When in doubt, you can always ask a professional. A little research and some online tutorials will get your gutters looking great again and keep your property free of water damage.