Repairing Your Sagging Gutters

It’s not terribly complicated to spot and repair sagging gutters, but if they’re left unnoticed, you run the risk of some serious damage – not only damage to the gutter itself, but possibly to your fascia, rafters, shingles, siding, and foundation! If you see a sagging gutter, it’s highly recommended that you do something about it immediately. At best, a sagging gutter can trap water in the channel and create nasty backups, turning your gutter run into the perfect breeding ground for mosquitoes and dangerous leaks.

To start, identify why the gutter is sagging in the first place. Systems hung with spikes and ferrules will inevitably pull away from the fascia as time passes. This happens because the spike is being pulled out of the original pilot hole by the expansion and contraction of the gutter throughout years of temperature fluctuations. Although dangerous, this is quite common and can be easily remedied by replacing the old spike with a new threaded spike. For added security, try inserting wood slivers (using a golf tee also works quite well), dipped in adhesive or epoxy, into the hole the old spike was nailed into. This will provide a tighter fit and add a few more years until the next time the spike has to be replaced. Take into consideration that this is the perfect time to upgrade your whole system to hidden hangers or brackets. Even upgrading your spikes to screws can have a huge impact on the frequency you see your gutters sagging. All of these mounting options can be found at your local home improvement store, but can also be ordered online.

Replacing damaged brackets isn’t that much more complicated, but it will require the help of a friend. Simply disconnect the sagging gutter from the damaged bracket and remove the gutter section. After that, remove the old bracket and fill the original holes with exterior caulk. When the caulk is dry, drill pilot holes for the new bracket’s screws, but remember to drill the new holes at the same height and roughly same position as the original holes – you don’t want to run the risk of altering the pitch of the gutter run. When your brackets are secure, have your friend help attach the gutter back onto the new brackets.

Sagging gutters more than a story high should be repaired by professionals. They’ll have the right tools and equipment to get the job done safely. If it’s coming up on cleaning time, you could also have them clean your gutters while they’re up repairing them. This could save you time and some money, when compared to having them done at separate times.