If the gutters on your home don't drain properly, your home and roof might sustain water damage. Gutters need to be free from leaks and at the proper slant so rain drains toward the downspout and away from your house. If your gutters hold water or spill water, call a gutter repair professional for help. Here's how they might repair your gutter system.
Repair A Loose Downspout
Downspouts can sometimes come loose from the wall. Pieces of the spout might even be apart. If the downspout isn't effective at routing water away from your house, the gutter system won't protect your home.
The repair professional may need to screw fasteners to the wall or put pieces of the spout back together and fasten them with screws. Downspouts don't need to be sealed, so the seams aren't covered with adhesive. The bottom of the spout must be positioned properly so water will drain. The repair professional may need to add a splash block to help the downspout drain.
Also, if the spout came apart because of a clog, the clog may need be to cleared with a pole and water hose. In some cases, the repair professional might need to take the downspout apart to clear out an elbow and then put the pieces back together.
Stop A Trough Leak
A gutter trough might leak when it has a hole from rust, leak from a seam, or when water spills over the side. Gutter system repairs vary for each of these problems. Seam leaks are often repaired by removing all the old adhesive and then applying new silicone gutter adhesive. When you get new gutters, consider buying seamless gutters so leaks through seams won't be such a problem.
Holes in the trough can be filled with caulk or roofing cement. If the hole is big, rust should be removed first if it's present, and then the hole can be covered with a metal patch. The patch is secured over the hole with roofing cement so it makes a watertight bond.
When rain spills over a gutter trough, that's an indication of a clogged gutter or a gutter that's not sloped properly. If a clog is the problem, the gutter repair professional can dig out the old, decaying leaves so water will flow properly.
If the problem is with the slant of the trough, the trough needs to be aligned properly and secured to the fascia board. Hangers might need to be replaced to hold the trough securely. If the hangers won't mount to the fascia board because the board is rotten, the board needs to be pulled out and replaced with a dry, strong board that will hold the gutter system securely.
Reach out to a gutter system repair professional to learn more.