A roof sheds water, but it's the gutter and downspout system that carries the water away from the house. Most gutters and downspouts are made from galvanized steel, aluminum, or vinyl, though you may find some made from wood or copper. Usually, they can be painted to match the exterior of the house. Gutters are attached to the eaves of the house with strap, bracket, or, most commonly, spike-and-ferrule hangers. Downspouts are attached to the exterior walls with straps.
In order to work efficiently gutters and downspouts must be in good condition, must be sloped properly, and must be free of leaves and other debris.
Gutter and downspout maintenance.
Regular inspection and maintenance are crucial for keeping your gutters and downspouts in good working order. Inspect them in the autumn and spring, and clean out accumulated leaves and other debris, as shown below. Then check the slope of the gutters by running water through them. If drainage is slow, reposition the gutters for the correct slope: they should be tight against the fascias and should slope toward the downspouts at a rate of 1 inch for every 20 feet. You can correct low spots by adjusting the hangers.
Test for weaknesses in gutters, downspouts, and fascia boards by probing with a thin screwdriver or knife. Also, look for flaking or peeling paint, rust spots, broken hangers, and holes or leaky joints.
Repairing fascias, eavestrough (gutters), and downspouts.
If you find dry-rotted fascia boards, repair them first. Carve out bad spots and fill them with wood putty or replace the damaged section with a piece of well-seasoned lumber (apply a wood preservative first), then finish to match the existing boards.
Tighten any loose hangers and replace any that are broken. Check that the downspout straps are secured to the walls and that all elbow connections fit tightly.
Patch any leaky joints or holes in gutters, taking care to clean them thoroughly first. Seal pin-holes with a dab of roofing cement. It a section of your gutter system is badly damaged, replace it.
Repaint the inside of wood gutters as necessary with asphalt roof paint. Sand down rusted and corroded areas of metal gutters and apply asphalt aluminum paint to the inside, rust preventative zinc-base primer outside. Then paint the outside of wood or metal gutters to match the house exterior.