Should you repair or replace your eavestrough?

How do you decide between a repair and a replacement?

Two questions settle most cases. How much of the run is failing, and is the board it hangs on still sound? A problem in one spot on sound wood is a repair. A problem in many spots, or anything hanging on soft wood, is a replacement, because a repair only fixes the place you can see.

Age matters less than most people expect. We are not going to give you a number of years, because eavestrough on two houses built the same year can be in very different shape depending on how it was hung, how well it slopes and what the winters have done to it. Condition is the test, and you can see most of it from the ground.

When the failure is spread out, patching only buys a season. That is the outcome this guide is meant to save you from: paying for a repair this fall on a run that needs replacing next year.

What problems can usually be repaired?

Problems that stay in one place. These are the repairs we do most, and what each one involves.

• One joint or corner that drips. We seal or replace the joint that is leaking. If the seams are leaking all along the run, sealing one of them is not the fix, and we will tell you so.
• A single section that sags, on a sound board. We refasten the run and set its slope so the water drains to the downspout again. A run that has lost its slope holds water, and water sitting in eavestrough is where winter ice starts.
• One bent, split or rusted-through section. We replace that section and match it to the rest of your eavestrough. Kara R., in a Google review: “We had a section of our eavestrough replaced and had a fantastic experience from start to finish!”
• A downspout emptying beside the house. We move, extend or reroute it so the water lands well away from your foundation.

Two honest limits on section repairs. A replaced section adds joints, and joints are where eavestrough leaks first. And on an older run, a new section can look slightly different next to eavestrough that has weathered for years. Neither is a reason to skip a good repair, but both are worth knowing before you choose one.

When is replacing the better spend?

When the failure runs the length of the eavestrough rather than sitting in one spot. These are the signs we look for:

• Leaks at the seams all along the run, not just at one corner.
• Water spilling over the front along the whole run in heavy rain.
• Rust, splits or sagging in several places.
• Soft or rotted board behind long stretches of it.

Each repair fixes one point. On a run that is failing everywhere, you pay for one repair, then the next, and the eavestrough still comes down in the end.

A replacement with us means taking down the old eavestrough and putting up new seamless eavestrough, formed on site to the length of each wall, with no joints along the run for the next leak to start at. If you are weighing that against sectional, our guide to seamless vs sectional eavestrough covers where each one makes sense. Most replacements are done in a day. If the soffit or fascia needs replacing as well, the job can take a few days to a week, depending on material lead times, and we tell you that when we quote.

What can you check from the ground before calling anyone?

More than you might think, and you do not need a ladder for any of it.

In a heavy rain, walk around the house. Note where water comes over the front edge, where it drips from a corner or joint, and where each downspout empties. One spot spilling is a different problem from a whole side spilling.

On a dry day, look for:

• Rust streaks or drip stains at corners and joints.
• A line that dips. Stand at a corner of the house and sight along the eavestrough; a sag shows up as a low point.
• A gap between the eavestrough and the house, where a run is pulling away.
• Stains, peeling paint or rot on the fascia board, or on the window sills below.
• Downspouts that empty right beside the foundation.

In winter, icicles building along one stretch usually mark where water is sitting in a sag or spilling over the front.

Take photos of what you find. It makes the conversation with any contractor faster, and it lets you check that what they quote matches what you saw.

One case where you may not need anyone: if the eavestrough is sound and the only problem is a downspout that empties beside the house, a downspout extension from a hardware store may be all it needs.

Why does the board behind your eavestrough decide so much?

Because your eavestrough is fastened to it. That board is the fascia. Water that gets behind leaking or overflowing eavestrough soaks it, and rotted wood cannot hold a fastener, so a run refastened to soft board sags again. When the board has gone soft, it is replaced first, and the eavestrough has to come down for that. That makes a fascia repair the natural time to decide whether the eavestrough goes back up or is replaced.

Sometimes you only learn the full picture once it is opened up. Kay D. wrote: “What started as a straightforward eavestrough replacement quickly uncovered years of hidden issues from previous work.” When that happens, we show you what we found before anything changes. Our guide on how to tell if your fascia or soffit is rotting covers the signs and the repair, and you can see how we handle rotted fascia and soffit.

Will we repair eavestrough someone else installed?

Yes. The difference is the warranty. Our 10-year workmanship warranty covers eavestrough we install new and eavestrough we replace. Because we make our seamless eavestrough ourselves, there is no manufacturer warranty on it, so ours is the cover. A repair to eavestrough someone else installed is not covered.

That should not stop you from repairing a sound run. A single leaking corner on eavestrough with years left in it is worth fixing, warranty or not. It matters when the run is near the end of its life. Then you are weighing a repair with no warranty against a replacement that carries one, and if yours is in that position, we will say so when we look at it.

Will a gutter guard fix leaking or overflowing eavestrough?

No. A guard sits on top of the eavestrough; it does nothing for a leaking joint, a lost slope or a rotting board, and it hides the problem underneath. We install leaf guards on request, on eavestrough that is in good shape, and we tell a lot of homeowners they do not need one. Our guide on whether leaf guards are worth it covers when they earn their place.

Common questions

Why does my eavestrough overflow when it isn’t leaking?

Usually the eavestrough itself is the cause. A run that has sagged holds water instead of draining it. Too few downspouts, or eavestrough too small for the roof above it, cannot carry the water away in heavy rain. The fix depends on which it is: resetting the slope, adding a downspout, or a larger size.

Will fixing my eavestrough stop the icicles in winter?

Often it helps, because icicles build where water sits in a sagging run or spills over the front. We look at where the water is going and fix that first. If the board behind the eavestrough has gone soft, that has to be fixed too.

Is the inspection free?

Yes. When we come out to quote, we inspect your eavestrough and tell you whether it needs a repair or a replacement, and why. We serve London, Ingersoll, St. Thomas, Strathroy-Caradoc, Stratford and Aylmer. Call or text (548) 488-3206, or ask for a free quote.