Best Way To Repair Leaking Gutters

Prepare the gutter by scraping out as much old tar or caulk as possible.

Best way to repair leaking gutters.

Remember this is the inside of a gutter no one looks here. Here s two ways to not repair a leaky gutter and one solid way to do the job correctly so that it holds for years not weeks. Apply plastic roofing cement over small holes. Bend the strip to fit and embed the flashing in the cement.

Better to get it right than to have it leak again. If the holes are larger than nail holes use tin snips to cut a strip of flashing the same amterial as the gutter wide enough to fill the area. See pic for reference. It s better to fix problems right away rather than wait until you find your gutters leaking.

If your gutter is still basically sound the easiest way to stop the leak is by covering the damaged area with roof and gutter repair tape available at home centers and hardware stores. Water will eventually find its way under both layers of silicone and back to the original leak location. Run water into the gutter at the top of the. Allow the insides of the gutters to dry out and brush leaking seams clean.

One standard way of clearing the debris from your gutters is to flush them out with a water hose. For heavier debris such as twigs or large leaves you can simply sweep them into a bucket until there s nothing left. Feather the roofing cement out on the surrounding area to flatten any steep edges. Apply silicone or special gutter caulking compound along the seams on the inside and outside to seal the leaks as shown above.

Patch small holes with roofing cement. Check downspouts whenever you clean your rain gutters. You can buy gutter caulking compound online. Do not apply silicone on top of silicone or on top of the old gutter sealant.

Butyl rubber caulks marketed by dap as their butyl flex line is an excellent choice for repairing leaky gutters. This negatively impacts the way your gutters drain water resulting in water leaks. Use a little water to spread it out nicely. Use a putty knife to spread the cement generously around the hole.

The butyl flex caulk applies well in cold and hot temperatures.