Repairing Copper Gutter Seams

I like to use a squeezable tube for gutter sealer because it is easier to handle and you can normally get the tube right inside the gutter even if there is a gutter hanger clip near the seam.

Repairing copper gutter seams.

This old house general contractor tom silva has a fast fix for a dripping rain gutter. Gutters are used to gather excess water during the rainy season which will be drained and diverted away. And even seamless gutters aren t immune to drips. Learning how to fix leaky gutters is an easy inexpensive project you can do yourself.

While older gutter systems can be made of sheet metal or copper with soldered seams and end caps most newer gutters are seamless aluminum which reduces breakages. Unfortunately the repairs that come with copper gutters are a little more complicated than traditional gutters. If the hole is small you can use plastic roofing cement. How to repair a corner gutter seam leak.

If it is large use a piece of galvanized metal flashing. They have seams where the gutters connect to preformed corners and to downspout outlets. Knowing how to repair plastic gutter seams early on reduces the chance of further damage and possibly a major repair. By contrast the soldered joint will create a watertight seam that makes the entire section of gutter react.

Any copper gutter repair done with caulk is basically ruined from the start since caulk doesn t expand and contract with the metal. If the metal gutter parts have rusted through you can quickly and easily patch it. Occasionally gutter seams or joints open producing major leaks. Prepare the end cap.

See below for a shopping list and tools subscribe to this old house. Here s how to fix gutter end caps. Gutter sealer comes in squeezable or in calking gun tubes and the price can run you from about 5 to 10 depending on the amount and quality. Again surfaces must be clean and free of debris.

It needs routine maintenance and cleaning to sustain a good condition. How to repair the seams on your copper gutters. However routine maintenance is not a complete protection against damages on the gutters which can cause a leak. Repairing the seal in a plastic gutter seam will keep the water from pouring into your woodwork.

Depending on the material rain gutters generally last anywhere from a decade to 100 years with vinyl and steel the most popular and affordable gutter materials least durable and copper the. Most gutters are held in place with large spikes that pass through tubular sleeves called ferrules. Repairing copper gutters requires rivets and solder as well as knowledge of sweating joints and seams. 9 may 2018 copper gutters are a unique beautiful way to finish a home.