DIY Roof Repairs for Homeowners

3 Gutter and Downpipe Troubleshooting and Repair Tips

10 June 2015

Fernando Silva

Your home's gutters and downpipes are probably more important than you may realise, as they direct rainwater away from the home's exterior and foundation. If water were to collect around your home's foundation, this can put pressure on the concrete and cause eventual cracks and leaks to form. Downpipes also help to actually direct rainwater one way or another, so that you can ensure that water drains away from your home and doesn't simply pool on your lawn.

When you have problems with your gutters and downpipes, you may want to call a contractor to check their condition, but there are a few troubleshooting tips you might consider first.

1. Clearing downpipes

When a downpipe has a blockage of leaves or other debris, avoid trying to push that blockage through the pipe. This can actually just compact the clog and in turn, cause even more damage.

Instead, use a long length of wire, such as a metal coat hanger that you pull into a straight line, and try to create a small hole in the blockage. Once you do this, you can work the wire up and down so that more of the clog becomes free, and the standing water in the downpipe can force debris through the hole you're creating.

2. Gutter runoff

If rainwater is consistently running over the sides of the gutters, they may not be wide enough to accommodate your area's standard rainfall. However, note that gutters are meant to be slightly angled down toward the downpipe so that water runs in that direction.

Stand back from your home and note if you can see that the gutters hang lower as they get closer to the downpipes. If not, you may need to simply adjust how they hang. If the runoff is caused by constant clogs, install a screen over the gutters so that you keep out leaves, twigs, and other such items.

3. Sagging gutters

Typically sagging gutters are a problem with the connectors; as they get older and are constantly pulled away from the home by the weight of the water in the gutters, they may start to come loose.

Inspect the connectors and note if you might need to upgrade to a stronger material that holds more weight, such as steel versus plastic. This too might mean that you need wider gutters and downpipes that can drain water faster, so that the gutters do not put so much pressure on the connectors with every rainfall.

For more tips or assistance, contact resources like Guttercraft Melbourne.

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