Gutters are an important aspect of your roof for a couple of different reasons. First, it helps direct the water away from where it might cause damage or staining and entry points. Imagine what could happen if your broken gutters are pouring water right onto your fuse box. Secondly, gutters are the primary means of collecting water for your rainwater tank. Water is our most precious resource and ensuring that you get every last drop of rainwater can make a big impact on your monthly bills.

If your gutters have problems, you can fix them. Here are the three most common problems with roof gutters.

#1: HOLES

Gutters can develop holes for a variety of reasons. Rust can eat through steel gutters. If you have trees near your house then falling branches can easily puncture aluminium or copper gutters. Sometimes a hole needs to be drilled to release standing water in the gutter. In that case, you’ll need to check the angle of your gutter to make sure that it is running off at the angle desired.

However, the hole has arrived, and you need to fix it as soon as possible to prevent it from growing in size and damaging your home or garden.

You’ll need a tube of roofing cement and a metal patch several inches larger than the damage section of gutter. Make sure that the patch material is the same as the gutter material, i.e. aluminium for aluminium, etc. If you don’t, then the different materials will cause electrolytic corrosion which will eat away one of the metals.

Before applying the patch, make sure you clean the area thoroughly and remove any debris with a scraping tool.

#2: LEAKY JOINTS

Leaky joints can happen to even the best gutters over time. You’ll be able to see leaky joints if you notice dripping water. Whether the leak has appeared at a straight joint, a corner, or at the attachment of a downpipe, the fix is essentially the same. As with the patching for holes above, make sure you clean the area as thoroughly as possible. Use a brush instead of a scrapper. A wire brush will allow you to get into the joint and corners better than a scrapper.

Using gutter adhesive caulk to seal the leaking area. Allow for the proper drying time and test to see if the leak persists. Apply more caulk until the leak has been fixed.

#3: SAGGING GUTTERS

Most gutters are attached to the side of the house by large spikes that support the ferrules, or the sleeves of the gutter. A sagging gutter needs to be attended to at once, because they can cause damage or even injury if they come off the house. Make sure that your gutters are in proper order before any rainy season for this very reason.

You will need to replace the gutter spike with something else. It is recommended that you use a 15cm gutter screw, but you’ll need to base your decision on the material of your home where the gutters are attached, such as stone, brick, wood, etc.

CONTACT CERTIFIED ROOFING

If you need roof repairs, then Certified Roofing can help. We are qualified to perform all levels of guttering and roofing repairs, even as part of an insurance claim. If your gutters or roof need to be completely replaced, then you’re still in good hands. Certified Roofing is Australia’s most trusted roofing company. We offer a complete range of colorbond roofing materials and colours at a great price.

Contact the team at Certified Roofing today for more information.