REMODELING ARTICLE - GUTTER CLEANING AND REPAIRS

Starting my career in building maintenance, I quickly learned that one of the most important aspects of maintaining a building is the roof. A leaking roof spells disaster and can be the most expensive damage a homeowner may face. This is a fairly well known fact, however what most homeowners overlook in routine maintenance are their gutters.

The gutters are part of the roofs system of diverting water from the building. In homes around the Pacific Northwest there are typically two types of gutters used. Most common are the exterior-mount type. These are metal or sometimes plastic gutters that hang off of the roofs edge. They are nailed or screwed through the top of the gutter attaching it the fascia boards or the ends of the roofs rafters. The gutter is held open with a spacer placed inside the top of the gutter that the nail or screw runs through. There is another exterior-mount gutter that is nailed or screwed from the inside of the gutter. This type also uses a spacer to hold it open and looks totally identical aside from the fastener. On the house side of the gutter the roofing material should overlap the edge. This makes sure that no water comes in contact with an unprotected area of the roof and protects against leaks from between the gutter and the fascia or rafter edges. Downspouts are connected to the bottom of the gutters and along the side of the house to allow water to flow to the ground. Depending on the manufacturer, they are square or round and vary in size from two to three inches wide.

The second type of gutter used is a gutter that is built into the roofs edge so that it cannot be seen from the ground. These are usually made of wood that is covered in a roofing material such as torch down or tar paper. The gutter material goes underneath the roofing to the house side and is covered with flashing on the outside edge protecting the fascia. The other major difference is that the down spouts run through the roof along the outside of the house to the ground. Sometimes this gutter system does not use a downspout at all rather a chain connected to the inside of the gutter that hangs to the ground. The roof water runs down the chain giving it a quieter more aesthetically pleasing effect.

In either case, the single most important thing you can do is KEEP YOUR GUTTERS CLEAN! I cannot stress this enough to homeowners. Full or blocked gutters can cause overflowing and stains along the side of a house, rusting and deterioration of the gutters, roof leaks, water damage and dry rot. Homeowners could avoid paying thousands of dollars for these types of repairs if they would just clean their gutters twice a year.

Keeping gutters clean is simple. Using a ladder, reach into the gutter (I suggest wearing rubber gloves) and remove all leaves and debris. Take a hose with a high pressure nozzle and wash old water and dirt down the downspouts. Then run the hose into the downspout to make sure it is clear. It is important to clean all larger material out before washing -- do not try to wash it down the downspouts. This can cause heavy blockage in the downspout and if the gutters are connected to an underground drain pipe, the blockage can occur underground which can be very expensive to remedy.

While you are cleaning the gutters be sure to be looking for leaks. Usually they occur in areas of seams or where the gutters and the downspout are connected. They are easy to fix with a gutter or flashing sealant type product, roofing tar also works well especially if the gutter is wet and the weather does not allow for proper drying time.

For exterior-mount gutters, ALL patches and sealants should be applied to the INSIDE of the gutters. Read the instruction on the back of the sealant product as most will require the area to be clean and dry. Once the area to be patched has been cleaned use a putty knife or your finger to smooth the product over the leaking area. If your gutters have holes caused by rust, clean the area well. Use a wire brush and/or coarse sand paper to remove the rust. Using a gutter lap compound and a piece of flashing, glue the flashing over the rusted area. I suggest you then paint the area with a rust preventing paint. Keep in mind you will need dry weather to do this.

Built-in gutters can be either really easy or really difficult to repair. Finding the leaks is often the difficult part. You can usually see the damaged areas inside the gutter by looking for cracks or blisters on the gutter material. Roofing compound like tar can be used in most cases over areas that are blistered or cracked. Simply clean the area, make sure there is no water (damp is ok) and with a putty knife spread a coat of roof tar over the damaged area. Be sure to inspect the flashing along the top of the fascia. Make sure it is not damaged or rusting. Replace the flashing as needed. Be sure to use sealant and rubber washer roof nails or flashing nails when installing new flashing. If damage is beyond the surface of the gutters I suggest contacting a contractor for further inspection and repair.

Downspouts should be diverting water away from the house. If your downspouts are connected to an underground drain system be sure they are properly connected with no gaps that would allow debris to fall into them. Downspouts that are not connected to a drain system should be extended away from the house and water should be diverted to a downhill slope. If you need to extend the downspout do not use screws to attach new pieces, this can cause blockages. Use rivets to fasten them together. Place a splash block at the end of the downspout to avoid soil erosion. All of these items can be purchased at your local home center.

Some words of caution. The number one cause of work related accidental death of men in the USA comes from falls. Be careful! When using a ladder be sure it is stable and tied down at the top. Use only the proper ladder for the job, a ladder should extend above the area you are working on. Wear work type shoes to avoid slipping. Always wear gloves, gutters have sharp edges that can cut very deep. Keep aware of insects or birds that like to live in the eaves of homes. They most likely will not hurt you but can startle you causing a fall. Always wear eye protection. And remember, don't hurry, take your time and be safe.