25 Ways to Fix Gutter Leaks and Other Roofing Issues

There is no perfect way to get water from one side of a sidewalk to the other, but consider installing a retractable downspout. It rolls out when it rains and then rolls back up when the water stops flowing. Products like these do leak when the water flow lacks the volume to extend the plastic downspout, but they should keep your landscaping from washing away during moderate to heavy rains.

Retractable downspouts hook up super easily, and they might offer just the solution you need. Pick one up at a home center or order online.

If you have trouble keeping small leaves and other debris from clogging your gutters, consider installing solid gutter guards. Solid guards, which cover all of the gutter except for a narrow crack to let the water through, do work well. The lip on the guards relies on surface tension to draw the water down into the gutter, while the solid covering deflects leaves and other debris that would otherwise drop in. The guards work on every type of gutter, except plastic “C” shapes. Because the guards fit over the gutter rather than inside, they cover most standard-size gutters.

Most attach to the gutter with brackets, sliding the upper edge under the lower shingles. Screened gutter guards, a much less expensive option available at home centers, don’t work as well. They keep out most leaves, but you can expect smaller debris, such as seeds and pine needles, to get through. Screens also make gutter cleaning more difficult, because you have to move them aside to get at the debris. However, in some cases they may solve your problem.

An old plastic spatula makes a great tool for cleaning debris from gutters. It doesn’t scratch up the gutter, and you can cut it to fit gutter contours with snips. Grime wipes right off the spatula, too, making cleanup a breeze. Don’t feel like putting in that much elbow grease? Consider a gutter cleaning robot.

This is an ongoing fall chore that you shouldn’t overlook — clean all those wet autumn leaves from gutter spouts before the blockages damage your gutters. Your plumber’s snake is a great tool for pulling clumps of wet leaves out of clogged downspouts.

Gutter leaks usually start at rusty spots or seams that have opened up because of expansion and contraction. Repair a leak in a basically sound gutter easily by covering the damaged area with roof-and-gutter repair tape.

Prepare the gutter by scraping out as much old tar or caulk as possible. Wire-brush the metal thoroughly to get rid of rust and to give the tape a clean surface for bonding. If the gutter is badly rusted or has been heavily coated with tar that you can’t scrape out, spray on a special adhesive primer before applying the tape.

Cut the tape with a scissors or a razor knife. Tear the paper backing off the tape and lightly adhere one edge of the tape to the top of the gutter. Roll the tape down the wall of the gutter, pushing it firmly into curves and corners (right image). Work wrinkles and bubbles flat. Overlap long seams by at least 1 in. and end seams by 4 in.