Repairing Copper Gutter Seams

Get ready to seal.

Repairing copper gutter seams.

See below for a shopping list and tools subscribe to this old house. Wipe away the dirt using a rag. Run water into the gutter at the top of the downspout and watch the drainage at the bottom. Remove the caulk at the end caps outlets and miters.

Whatever piece of metal you choose rivet it into place with copper rivets then solder with copper flux. Use steel wool and gently scrub the crack to make the surface clean and stamped. There are three main steps to repairing copper gutters that have been caulked. Expansion joints allow for the segments of gutter to move freely during expansion and contraction.

You can paint this primer directly over the existing liner and any rust that exists. Alternatively you can use a joint or decorative cap on the exterior or a piece of gutter laid over the old gutter. Clean the outside of the gutter where the seam has been leaking. If possible flush out gutters with a garden hose then allow them to air dry for a clean fix.

Over time all things copper acquire a patina first turning a rich brown and then that classic green brown blue coating. Chances are the sealant will pull out easily. Find the crack and scrub the area around it to give way for a small plastic replacement sheet to fit into place. This old house general contractor tom silva has a fast fix for a dripping rain gutter.

Without them solder seams can break and the metal itself can tear thus causing leaks to occur. Then sand the area using fine grit sandpaper until the shine has been restored. The preferred method for mending a hole in a copper gutter is to use a piece of sheet copper on the inside of the gutter. Scrubbing the crack reach your gutter by using an extension ladder.

If water backs up out of the downspout instead of easily draining remove the downspout s base this. For sealing and joining lap seams in aluminum or vinyl gutters and downspouts we recommend a permanently flexible and water resistant sealant. If some of it sticks don t worry.