How To Fix A Leaking Gutter Seam

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Gutter systems are important because they trap excess water during the rainy season. But sometimes, you may notice your gutters leaking at seams.

If your gutter leaks at the seam, the problem is rust and deterioration that causes small cracks and holes where the gutters screw together. First, check if the damaged gutters are sagging to check if they can be repaired or replaced.

No homeowner would be happy having a home with leaky gutters because they can cause adverse effects. For example, leaking water from roofs can cause the paint on your ceilings and walls to lose its adhesive quality.

If you inspected your gutters and found water dripping at the seams, here is what to look for and fix the problem.

Is it Normal for Gutters to Drip at Seams? 

Leaking gutter joints are normal as the house’s gutters age. These gutter systems develop small holes and cracks at the seams. The small holes/cracks happen due to general wear and rust at the gutter’s weakest point.

If that’s your case, you’ll see some spot drips from your rain gutters. If your gutter system’s damage isn’t extensive, you can apply:

  • Silicone
  • Rubber gutter caulk
  • Waterproof sealant

But if the gutter’s damage is extensive, do a gutter replacement instead. Usually, a gutter repair using silicone, sealant, or caulk may take a season or two.

Use a product like GE Clear Caulk when repairing your leaking gutter joint. Further, you’ll need to squeeze it into holes and cracks. Then, apply an extra coating around your entire gutter joint.

Common Reasons Why your Gutter is Leaking at Seam

1. Clogged Gutter System

Debris, like bird nests, twigs, and leaves, always accumulate inside the gutter system. That may not come by as a critical problem. But, too much debris accumulation creates dams that inhibit proper water flow.

And with no place to escape, your gutter sections may leak during rainy days. But in some cases, that water backs up, then leaks into cracks/holes in your roof.

2. Loose Connections

In larger houses, contractors will cut the gutters into several varying lengths. After that, they would fasten them together. As days go by, the bolts connecting the seams may give way. They do so due to wear and tear that happens daily.

When that happens, the gutters loosen up at the seams, allowing rainwater to escape.

In other instances, loose connections aren’t always obvious when looking at your rain gutters. But you can notice some telltale signs. For example, you can see some washed-out soil under the loose connection.

3. Sagging Gutters

It would help if you ignored the bolts connecting the gutters first. That’s even though these bolts can loosen up. Unfortunately, when these bolts loosen up, they make your gutter system sag off.

Also, a gutter system may sag off because of the following:

  • Wood rot where the bolts attach to the gutter system.
  • Wind damage.

When that happens, your gutters may tilt or bend on one side. That means any rainwater may leak from your gutters’ sides. And if that happens for a while, you risk your gutter system falling off the roof.

4. Improper Pitch During Installation

Most gutter system installations look level. But most f them are slightly inclined. The roofers do that on purpose to allow gravity to do its magic, ensuring proper water flow.

Typically, the improper pitch may disrupt the water flow within your gutters. But sometimes, that may create a water pool in some gutter sections.

Further, that’s problematic since rainwater may continue collecting in a single spot, causing leaky gutters even during light rain.

How to Fix a Leaky Gutter Seam

Clean the Gutters

  1. Check your area’s forecast. It’s worth noting that water-soaked debris is difficult and heavy to remove. It would help to wait till the weather turns dry. That makes cleaning and removing debris much more straightforward.
  2. Assemble suitable tools. You’ll need these tools when cleaning gutters – a gutter cleaning attachment/garden hose (with a nozzle), two wired-hooked buckets, a ladder, a trowel, safety glasses, latex gloves, and work gloves.
  3. Use a suitable ladder. When cleaning gutters, a ladder is critical. So, it would help to contact your roofer if climbing ladders isn’t comfortable. But if you can hack it, place your sturdy-step ladder on the solid-level ground. Do that if it’s possible. An extension ladder will help if you’ve got a two-story house.
  4. Deploy the double-bucket method. Use a single bucket to collect debris, then the other to carry the tools. Doing so makes your job straightforward. But it would help if you don’t put your tools in your pockets. Otherwise, you may lose balance, injuring yourself. Also, carry your buckets one at a time, hooking them to your ladder.
  5. Clean out the debris. Start cleaning the gutter from the downspouts. Ensure you’ve removed the large debris, twigs, and leaves. Afterward, place what you’ve collected in a bucket. Further, use your trowel to clear smaller debris and the packed material. Remember to put on your latex gloves under the work gloves. That’ll help protect you from wet debris, which leaves a nasty smell on your hands.
  6. Flush your downspouts and gutters. Use your garden hose to clear away any persistent grime and dirt. Do that after you’ve cleared the large debris. But if you notice the water isn’t draining, your downspout may be clogged. Fortunately, you can flush the spout using a hose with heavy-pressured water. Afterward, it would help to flush out your entire gutter system.

Prepare to Seal 

Animals, ice, water, or snow can cause critical damage to a gutter system. In that case, it would help to pick the best sealant for your gutters. Otherwise, you’ll still have a leaking gutter joint in the future.

  1. Getting started. You’ll first check your area’s forecast. Do so to ensure your site won’t experience any pouring within 24 hours. If that won’t happen, get ready to apply the gutter sealant. But before that, clean out your rain gutters thoroughly. Debris or leaves can clog your gutters, preventing adequate sealant adhesion.
  2. Safety. Get a friend who’ll hold the sturdy ladder if possible. Also, you need to place the ladder on a sturdy surface that’s even too. Further, protect your hands from any debris or sealant in your gutters.
  3. Preparation. Ensure you’ve removed any old adhesive or caulking. After that, your gutter systems are dry and clean. Do that before applying a suitable gutter sealant.

Apply the Sealant

  1. Prepare your working spot. Do that by scraping off old silicon and removing caulk remnants. Also, clean your site using mineral turpentine.
  2. Load the caulking gun. In this step, cut off the cartridge’s tip. Afterward, at a 45° angle, cut the nozzle. Doing so gives out a nice bead thickness. Further, place your cartridge within the caulking gun, fitting the nozzle.
  3. Apply your sealant adhesive. You’ll hold the caulking gun at a 45° angle, dispensing the sealant. When doing that, ensure you’ve pushed the sealant into the joint, hole, or gap.
  4. Smoothen your sealant. In this step, you’ll need to dip your spatula into a detergent. After that, use the spatula to smoothen the sealant. Use a cloth to clear away excess gutter sealant. But ensure you’ve dampened the clothing using mineral turpentine.
  5. Drying. After 5-8 minutes, the sealant will skin. But will fully cure within 24 hours.

Do you Seal or Repair Gutter Seams?

Downspouts and gutters are critical components of all roofs. They pick and move rainwater that would otherwise cause severe damage to:

  • Siding
  • Soil
  • Foundations

Unfortunately, all that can prevent your rain gutters from working. So, it’s crucial to seal or repair gutter seams when that happens.

Further, precipitation or branches can rupture copper/aluminum gutters. At the same time, rust buildups can eat through your steel gutter seams.

Also, the seams that connect your gutters can deteriorate, causing drips and leaks. And if that happens, they’ll sag off, causing spillage and overflow.

Do you Seal or Caulk Gutter Seams?

Apply a sealant around the gutter’s male end joint and the caulk gun around all rivets. Afterward, attach it to the gutter’s female end joint. Hold all the sections using masking tape. Do that while the gutter sealant dries.

When doing gutter maintenance, caulk is a necessity. Moreover, your rain gutter seams may rust if you don’t protect them. And as a result, fungi may grow at your seams if the following stick in the cracks:

  • Rotten leaves
  • Organic matter

When professional roofers install the gutters, they ensure they caulk them. But it would help to replace the caulk every decade.

A butyl rubber caulk works wonders when fixing gutter leaks. You can apply it even when it’s cold or hot outside. Moreover, it sticks faster, but after curing, it remains flexible.

Elsewhere, temperature changes may cause your gutter system to expand and contract, allowing the caulk to move together with your gutter.

How to Keep Gutters in Good Shape for the Longest Life

  1. Clean your gutters every spring and fall. Do that by removing grunge and fallen leaves.
  2. Consider installing high-quality mesh or leaf guard over your rain gutters. That’s if your house has some deciduous trees surrounding it.
  3. Sweep away heavy fallen leaves loads off your house’s roof. Please do that to prevent them from getting into your gutters.
  4. Inspect your rain gutters yearly for loose/missing screws, cracks, or holes.
  5. Inspect the downspouts every time you clean the gutters. Do so by running water into the rain gutters at the downspout’s top. After that, observe the drainage at its bottom. Use a long stick or broom handle to clear anything clogging the downspout. Only do that if your downspout has some leaves or other debris inside.
  6. Reattach or replace the straps if your downspout is loose. A downspout strap is a metal bracket that screws into your house’s side. It holds the downspout in position.

Consider Seamless Gutter systems

If your rain gutters have been leaking, they have no use. While no gutter prevents leaks, choosing the right product may help. In most cases, consider getting seamless steel gutters. This gutter type contains the most common problems involving leaks.

A seamless gutter system is what it sounds like – gutters with no seams. They are of straight unmarred steel pieces and have sealants at their corners. Manufacturers make the exact steel pieces you need when you pick seamless gutters.

That means you won’t have seams along your gutter’s length. So, rainwater will flow from your roof to the downspouts unimpeded. Moreover, seamless gutters lower the chances of leakages.

Wrap Up

The methods above on fixing gutters leaking at seams are temporary. They’re only helpful when you want to prevent further damage to your gutters. So, contact your roofer for any damage signs on your gutters.