Gutter Slope Repair

Pull down on the end of the gutter to create the proper pitch toward the downspout.

Gutter slope repair.

Start on the end of the gutter farthest from the downspout and measure the space from the roof edge to the top of the gutter. If gutters slope too severely they don t hold water and water could splash over the sides in heavy rain. The gutter should have a quarter inch of slope per 10 feet. Once the gutter is properly pitched re install the gutter brackets.

Gutters are one of those things where routine maintenance and inspecting them can really prevent bigger problems down the road says jason stutzman director of home maintenance and repair for brothers redevelopment in denver. Wire brush the metal thoroughly to get rid of rust and to give the tape a clean. A gutter over 30 feet needs two downspouts. To get started measure the side of the house directly under the gutter to determine its length in feet.

Or you can slope the gutters down from each end toward a single downspout placed in the middle of the run. It should pitch from the middle toward the downspouts at each end. The standard slope for rain gutters is half of an inch for every 10 feet. If your gutter is still basically sound the easiest way to stop the leak is by covering the damaged area with roof and gutter repair tape available at home centers and hardware stores.

Use a level to make sure it s sloping downward. Put a temporary screw at the back to adjust the pitch. Pull the gutter down about 3 quarters of an inch lower than it originally was. The gutter slope also called the pitch is the amount the gutter tilts down to let rainwater flow out of it.

For example if the gutter is 16 feet long the end near the down spout must be 1 inch lower than the starting end. This means that your gutter should be a half inch lower in height at every 10 foot mark until you reach the downspout. Prepare the gutter by scraping out as much old tar or caulk as possible. Drive in one screw to hold the gutter in position.

Luckily most common gutter problems are easy for homeowners to fix themselves. If gutters don t slope water gathers in them. To fix this detach the hangers and adjust the gutter to get the correct slope for proper water flow. The amount of collected water increases until it spills over the sides of the gutter.

For spans longer than 40 feet it s wise to have a downspout on each end and start the high spot of the gutter in the center. Measure the length of the gutter that you plan to adjust. Drive one screw through the rear center of the gutter to hold it in place. To ensure that gutters drain properly make certain they slope inch for every 10 feet toward a downspout.

Unscrew and discard the old gutter brackets. How to fix a gutter slope. For gutter runs longer than 40 feet it s best to pitch the gutter down from the middle to a downspout at each end. If you notice standing water this means your gutter isn t correctly pitched.

And it s worth the effort. The ideal slope is 1 4 inch to 1 2 inch decline for every 20 feet of gutter running toward the downspout.