Gutter problem(Pics included)

Hello, I have a gutter problem now. When it rains, the water drains off the gutter to the side. After it stopped raining, i checked it and there was nothing blocking the drain. Also, i noticed the water dripping underneath. I thought there might be a hole underneath it, but there wasn't as far as my eye could see so it must be the water dripping to the side and flowing down. What is causing this? The dent? Is there a way to fix this without replacing the entire gutter. It is a metal gutter. I have a few pics which one is during the downpour and the other one with rain subsided quite a bit. Thanks.

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Reply to
zcarenow
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the dent. The gutter should have a continuous straight slope to the downspout. You can try working out the dip. In the event you can't work it out, replace that section of gutter.

Reply to
Abe

The gutter can't handle that volume of rainfall. The dent is providing a low spot, but there appears to be a reasonable amount of slope to the gutter so it shouldn't be overflowing in the middle. There's a restriction to the water flow somewhere for sure - I'd check for blockage in the downspout (aka leader).

If the gutter overflows in less than monsoon conditions, you may simply be asking it to handle a volume of water that it can't. Adding another downspout would help, but that isn't always possible due to problems with location. You'd also have to reset the gutter so it would drain to both downspouts. Replacing the 5" gutter with 6" and the 2" x 3" downspout with a 3" x 4" would most likely take care of any capacity problems.

Easiest thing is to have the gutter replaced, but check for blockage in the downspout that might not be visible before you spend any money. Run a plumbing snake down it, or stick a running hose in it and work it down to see if you can blow the blockage loose.

R
Reply to
RicodJour

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That poor gutter needs to be replaced. The failure area seems to be where two sections were joined together. These days some contractors are offering seamless gutters, which are made from coil stock on the job site. The continuous lengths have minor advantages, like somewhat better flow, better appearance, and longer life. Installation in our area is also cheaper, less labor.You also obviously have tree leaves to contend with, so you need to adopt a regular cleaning schedule to keep the system clean. HTH

Joe

Reply to
Joe

Take a garden hose and run it down the downspout. I really feel like the something is preventing it from taking the rain. It could be choked with leaves and not be visible at the inlet. You might look into adding an additional downspout(s). From your pictures, I can't see any.

Reply to
DanG

Do your downspouts disappear into the ground, or do they come out onto splash blocks. If the latter, is the same amount coming out of the one on this gutter as comes out some other side of the house? Allowing for the difference in roof area that each gutter supports.

Do your neighbors with similarly sized roof areas have the same size gutters or bigger? Do they have overflows?

Put a garden hose in the downspout with no nozzle on it and see how much water the downspout can take before it backs up. I think maybe it should be able to handle the maximum amount that your garden hose can put out without backing up. Check other downspouts for comparison.

If the downspout can handle all the water you can give it, for 4 or 5 minutes, maybe it is mostly the slope.

It's not the bump itself that is the problem but that it is sagging at that spot. Maybe a couple gutter spikes or maybe gutter screws, one on either side of that bump, to lift the gutter there, while you are careful to lift it just enough so that it is at the original height, so there is a continuous gradual slope in the whole gutter.

Get out there in the rain when the gutter is overlowing and with a ladder check how high the water is in the gutters that aren't overflowing, and look at the water surface in the overflowing one, and check the level right next to the downspout. It should I think, since your gutter isn't draining well, be higher than other parts of that gutter, and decide if straigtening the gutter will be enough to stop the overflowing, or to put more water at the downspout.

If one uses an aluminum step ladder but is right nest to the house during lightning, is there a risk? I wouldn't think so if your head is only a foot above the gutter or less, but I wouldn't use an extension ladder that stuck up above the roof in a lightning storm.

Wood and fiberglass are fine.

Reply to
mm

I forgot that you have to allow for wind direction too, if the wind isn't parallel to the gutter. If there is wind and it is from the far side of the house, there will be less rain on the near side of the roof.

Might even be easier to compare with a neighbor's house, especially if the roof is the same size and shape.

Reply to
mm

I just checked with the ladder though the rain has stopped. There is no clogging sort of speak. The downspout splatters to a splash block and there is considerable water able to flow down it. I think the bent part of the gutter is causing the water flow to spill over the side. Would i have to replace the entire gutter or can i just fix that bent part? Also, if it is just that part, what kinda tools do i need to fix this? Thanks everyone for the replies.

Reply to
zcarenow

If downspout is clogged, wouldn't the waterflow spill over to the sides completely rather than just that sagged/bent part? I just checked the downspout and it does have some debris, but the water still flows out pretty well.

Reply to
zcarenow

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buffalo ny: and if we saw an overhead view, it may show leaves or pine needles.

Reply to
buffalobill

It would come out the low spot, and the more there were, the .

Well I don't know what pretty well means. I would wait until it is happening again and look. There is no substitute for direct looking.

You'll be able to see if it is backed up at the downspout, if it is near overflowing everywhere. The water in the gutter will be almost level so you'll be able to see without a 12 foot straightedge how much it is sagging. Although you should use a 3 foot straightedge too.

You'll be able to run the garden faucet at the same time it is raining, and if it swallows both together without backing up, when it is already overflowing at the bump, then it is not the downspout.

Reply to
mm

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Not found. :(

Reply to
mm

I agree. I also wonder if that isn't the location of direct out-fall from another system above such as a dormer or second story. Given that, a heavy rainfall would cause what is pictured. In that case, a deflector at that location might help. Wotta pain: Right over the garage door.

Reply to
Jim Redelfs

I had a similar problem. The gutter looked clear and there was water exiting the downspout. But I pulled out several handfulls of packed dead leave from the 'S' bend in the downspot. The gutter overflows when these leaves back up water due to a heavy downpour.

Reply to
PaPaPeng

Usually just the lowest part is enough to keep it from going over the sides.

Reply to
Meat Plow

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