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ericinok
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Reged: 09/26/06
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Posts: 57
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Loc: NE Oklahoma
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Gutter Problem
01/04/07 10:22 AM
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I have a small gutter system over my back porch area. I'm not sure how it happened, but this gutter area does not drain at all. After a good rain, the water stays in the gutter and slowly drips out of one corner, the area around the downspout stays pretty much dry - indicating that the slope is not accurate to get the water to drain. This gutter area is three pieces - about 3 feet then a corner, 6 feet in front of the porch then a corner, then another 3 feet to the downspout. the water hags out around the first corner.
I know I need to work on the slope of this gutter. My main questions are should I remove this entire gutter and start over, or just use a level and move various areas? I've never done much work on gutters, besides cleaning them out. All the gutters have covers on them, due to lots of trees around the house. Anything I need to know before I try and tackle this chore?
*** What we've got here is failure to communicate ***
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Bird
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Reged: 09/12/02
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Loc: Corinth, TX, USA
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Re: Gutter Problem
[re: ericinok]
01/04/07 11:07 AM
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I can't say I've done a lot of gutter work, but some. I suppose you could correct your problem with a level and just doing different parts, but I have some doubts. I think I'd take it down and start over. I guess you know there are different kinds of mounting brackets. Some use screws, some use spikes (long nails). If you can't use the same holes, and not likely that you can, then I'd want to caulk, paint, or something to keep any moisture from getting in there. Personally, once they're down, I'd probably measure and run a chalk line to make sure I kept my slope the same all the way.
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Pat
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Re: Gutter Problem
[re: Bird]
01/08/07 03:39 PM
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WHOAA, Lets not get too hasty to just do SOMETHING. Is the downspout free and will pass water? First confirm that and if not fix that! Get a ladder if you don't have one of those gutter cleaning hose attachments that let you put water in the gutter from ground level. You could try spraying water onto the roof above the down spout to see if any water comes out the spout but a ladder will make it a sure thing.
Put the hose into the down spout and see if it passes all the water when turned up full blast or does it back up and overflow into the gutter? This might evern clear a leaf clog. It is good to be sure the down spout works because if it doesn't NOTHING ELSE WILL HELP.
If the down spout is removed from the quarantine list then while you have the ladder handy, put water in the gutter next to the down spout and observe. Does it run to or away from the down spout? Put water in each section of the gutter and observe which way the water flows. You just might not have to take the wholle thing down to get it workiing.
Gutters don't need a lot of fall. Down slope is down slope. There are recommended slopes.
Gutter Slope:
A 1" to 2" slope in 40 foot. NOTE: A gutter installed level will drain because water levels itself, however you will not have any water flow to self clean the gutter. Too much slope does not look good and you loose some of the gutter's holding capacity.
Example: A gutter sloping 3 1/2" in a run has lost about 1/2 of its holding capacity, in a short heavy down pour the water at the high end of the gutter will be nearly to the bottom of the gutter and at the downspout end (Low end) the water will be overflowing the top of the gutter, Remember?, water levels itself.
Summary: Try to strike a happy medium, just a little slope for self cleaning purposes but not too much.
I prefer pretty flat runs because long runs look ugly with much slope and I don't have much of a debris problem. If you have a leaf and debris problem get the mesh covers for the gutters.
Pat 
"I'm not from your planet, monkey boy!"
Edited by Pat (01/08/07 03:42 PM)
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ericinok
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Reged: 09/26/06
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Posts: 57
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Loc: NE Oklahoma
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Re: Gutter Problem
[re: Pat]
01/08/07 10:26 PM
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Thanks, Pat. I have covers on all my gutters. We have plenty of oak trees and some pines, so I get a good variety of leaves and needles.
The gutter in question is actually a small structure that flows to a corner that drops down into the larger gutter below it that goes along the entire back of the house, so I know for sure the downspout is not my problem on this one. I checked my level on all sides. The first two sides looked to be about right - just a slight slope downward. The final side where the water drains into the larger gutter, however, actually sloped upward at a pretty significant angle. I'm not sure how this ever worked!! We had a new roof installed when we closed, and I've gotta figure they had something to do with this, knowing how detail-oriented and handy the previous owner was.
I unscrewed the upsloped side and gave it a slight downward angle. I have also caulked all around my new work, and caulked up the old holes. Now, I'll cross my fingers and hope it works. This weekend we're supposed to get a good bit of freezing precip - so I'll be watching the meltdown real close.
Another thing, there was a lot of shingle pieces and other debris in this gutter. I used my BBQ spatula to get it out. It worked perfectly. This was the only gutter to have this much crap in it - maybe because this was the area they had their ladder to get on/off the roof.
*** What we've got here is failure to communicate ***
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Pat
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Re: Gutter Problem
[re: ericinok]
01/09/07 08:57 AM
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Eric, Sounds like you know the source of the problem, the nature of the problem, and have solved/fixed it. Tain't rocket science, water flows donwnhill and when not flowing is level.
It is funny to see the results of an install where a DIY person reasoned that water flows down a slope so to make it flow BETTER you give it more slope. The water actually runs down the gutter too fast and it "piles up" toward the bortom of the slope and overflows the gutter, somewhere convenient like right over the porch steps or such.
Sounds like you got 'er licked. I have previously climbed a ladder few times with a 5 gal bucket of water to dump on the roof to see what happens in the gutter. Now over 30 years later I still remember what it did and don't have to repeat the experiment.
Pat
"I'm not from your planet, monkey boy!"
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