Rain Gutter Repair

inspect rain gutters

Inspect rain gutters regularly and look for small holes or cracks and repair them before they become larger. Check for gutter seams for leaks from split or cracked seams leading to potential water damage. Leaks in rain gutters cause water to run down the wall next to the foundation and cause water problems in a basement.

Gutter Seam Repair

gutter seam repair

You will need:

  • Electric drill
  • Metal paint scraper
  • Medium grit sandpaper
  • Caulking gun
  • Rain gutter sealant
  • Spackle knife or putty knife
  • Pop rivet gun
  1. Use a metal paint scraper and scrape away old caulking.
  2. Use an electric drill and drill out the rivets which hold the gutters together. Use a drill bit a little larger than the size of the rivet.
  3. Separate the rain gutters and scrape away old caulking from under the seam.
  4. Use a medium grit sandpaper to sand the seams down.

Rejoin Gutter Seams

  1. Use a caulking gun loaded with sealant formulated for rain gutters. Rain gutter sealants are available at home improvement stores and hardware stores.
  2. Apply a thick line of gutter sealant to the seams and join them together.
  3. Use a spackle knife or putty knife to press sealant into the seams and spread it out in both directions away from the seam.
  4. Apply a second line of sealant over the seam and spread it out in the same manner as before.
  5. Use a pop rivet gun to add new rivets to the existing rivet holes to strengthen the seams and join them tightly.

Patch a Hole in a Rain Gutter

You Will Need:

  • Wire brush
  • Paint brush
  • Coarse grit sandpaper
  • Fiberglass mesh
  • Roofing cement
  • Putty knife
  • Epoxy paint

Prepare the Gutter

  1. Remove dirt and debris from around the hole.
  2. Rinse the area with plain water.
  3. Break off any weak, rusted, rotted or damaged edges of the hole.
  4. Use a wire brush to thoroughly clean the area.
  5. Use a coarse grit sandpaper to rough up the interior surface of the rain gutter.
  6. Cut two pieces of fiberglass screening material 1-inch larger than the size of the hole. Metal screening mesh can only be used if the type of metal gutter is know because if dissimilar metals are used, a chemical reaction will occur and cause more corrosion and more damage.

Fix the Gutter Hole

  1. Use a paint brush to apply a layer of roofing cement around the entire holes, up the edges.
  2. Fit the fiberglass patch over the hole with the patch uniformly extending past the hole.
  3. Apply a thick coat of roofing cement over the patch and feather the roofing cement out in all directions with a flexible putty knife.
  4. Apply the second patch. press the patch firmly into the roofing cement.
  5. Add another thick layer of roofing cement over the second patch. Press the roofing cement down and smooth it out extending the cement past the patch by 1/2 to 1 inch.
  6. Paint over the roofing cement and into the gutter with an epoxy based paint made for the material type of the rain gutter.