Water leaks tend to worsen with time. In the case of gutters, the force of water eventually widens a small hole in cracked sealants. Physical damage can put a hole in the gutters as well. For the most part, how to repair leaking gutters involves redoing sealants or installing a patch. Restoring your gutters will protect your home’s walls and foundation from water exposure.
How to Repair Leaking Gutters Step by Step
Leaking gutter end cap:
- Place a ladder on stable ground and climb up to the end cap.
- Scoop out debris with a trowel if the gutter is dirty or clogged.
- Spray off the area with a hose and dry with a rag.
- If the old end cap is not secured with screws, pry it off with a claw hammer.
- If screws secure the old end cap, remove them with a screwdriver or power drill.
- Scrape and scrub off old sealant with a putty knife and wire brush.
- Test fit your new gutter end cap.
- You may need to adjust bent metal edges with pliers to get it to fit.
- Working with a tube of butyl rubber caulk, squeeze the sealant into the groove of the end cap.
- Stick the end cap to the gutter.
- Wipe off excess sealant.
- Tighten the edges of the end cap with a metal crimping tool.
- While wearing latex gloves, press more sealant into the inside seam of the end cap.
Hole in gutter:
- Clean the area around the hole in the metal.
- Scoop and rinse away debris.
- Wash the area with warm soapy water.
- Dry the area with a rag.
- Cut a piece of metal flashing with tin snips at least 1 inch larger than the hole on all sides.
- If patching a flat area, pound the flashing flat with a hammer against a hard surface.
- If you need to patch a curve or crevice, bend the flashing with pliers to make it fit.
- Put on latex gloves and apply butyl rubber caulk generously around the hole.
- Push the flashing onto the sealant.
- Smooth the sealant around the edges of the patch with a putty knife.
Leaking gutter joints:
- Clean out all debris near the leaking joint and rinse the gutter with a hose.
- Wash with warm soapy water and pat dry with a rag.
- Scrub off visible old sealant with a wire brush.
- Squeeze butyl rubber caulk over the entire joint.
- Put on latex gloves and press sealant into the seams. Add more sealant if you need to.
- Wipe the sealant smooth across the joints with a putty knife.