How to Replace or Repair Your Own Gutter - Advertisement Feature by Screwfix

Inspection - The first thing to do would be to inspect the guttering. This is usually best done with a ladder, but binoculars can be used to spot problem areas if it if difficult to get to the height of the roof.

If there are sections that are pulling away from the house, this will be quite obvious. Also look for missing or broken brackets and missing or damaged downspouts. If there are no obvious areas that are in need of repair, water can be run through the gutters to spot problems. If water pours out of places that it should not, then there is a problem that needs to be addressed.

Cleaning
Gutters can easily get clogged up with dirt and debris. This will impede the water and create problems. Guttering should be cleaned out on a yearly basis if there is not some form of guard or covering over top the gutters. There are a lot of different gutter accessories that can be purchased to keep debris out of the system. As most homes have high roofs, care should be taken when getting up on a ladder to do this cleaning.

Repair
Hopefully, there are only few places and sections that need to be repaired. This could include replacing brackets and fascia boards as well as replacing small sections. With any repair, only do work that is within one’s ability. If there is ever any question about how something is to be repaired, consulting a professional may be in order.

Replacement
Finally, there may be the need to completely replace all of the gutters. The damage may be too extensive to patch things up. When this is the case, there needs to be a good starting point where things can be applied. The careful removal of the old gutters will help with this. If fascia boards are in bad shape and rotting, these should all be replaced at the same time. Otherwise, they may simply need some patching and a fresh coat of paint.

When complete replacement needs to be done, it is important that the gutters have a downward slope so they drain efficiently. If this is not done, water can easily pool and collect in one area of the system. For every foot, there should be a 1/16th of an inch of slope.

Depending on the situation, a gutter system may just need a simple cleaning or the entire thing may need to be replaced. Whatever the situation, the home should always have a well-functioning system.

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