Maintaining My Home

if the gutter was installed recently (within the last few years) by a tradesperson, and the damage occurred during their installation, call them back to make the repair

straighten gutter if possible

replace badly damaged sections or the whole gutter as necessary

metal eaves gutters should have a minimum fall of 1:500 (2 mm per metre) to prevent water ponding. Where the required fall cannot be provided, PVC gutters that do not rust are a better option – the minimum fall for PVC is 0.5 mm per metre. PVC gutters that have the appearance of metal gutters are available

get a stand-off bracket for your ladder (or buy a ladder with a stand-off bracket) so your ladder does not lean against the guttering

when working at height, always let someone know. Ensure the access ladder is in good condition and is securely set up on a solid level base. The correct angle for the ladder is 1 metre out from the wall for every 4 metres of height. Reposition the ladder rather than stretching beyond an easy reach

straighten gutter if possible

replace damaged gutter as in the first repair above but ensure there is a sufficient number of brackets close enough together (300 mm) fixed as the guttering manufacturer recommends. Copper is softer than steel of an equivalent gauge, so copper brackets should be spaced at centres recommended by the supplier for the snowfall/rainfall expected

consider installing snow straps to give the gutter extra strength. Snow straps are attached to the gutter (between brackets) and the roof

another option is a snow board on the roof that takes the weight of the snow

if the gutter was installed recently (within the last few years) by a tradesperson, call them back to make the repair

as for the first repair above, but double check that expansion joints are installed at spacings recommended by manufacturer (based on metal, thickness and colour)

as for the first repair above. If the corrosion or damage is severe, the gutter is likely to need replacing