If your downspouts also have screens at the top, clear them as well, or replace the screens if they're damaged. While inspecting your gutters, you may find that over time, the spikes that hold the aluminum to the fascia board have loosened. Either drive the loose spikes back into place, or replace them with longer ones for improved support. Downspouts and other fittings can also be pulled away or damaged by snow and ice, and may need to be reattached. Gutter neglect can also result in leaks.
Most leaks occur at a joint and can be repaired with rubber tape or self-adhesive tape.
The patches should be placed a few inches on either side of the leak area. Rainhandler provides a maintenance-free gutter system for homeowners and offers other benefits. According to the company's chairman, Ted Buckenmaier, the single biggest problem of homes with no gutters or clogged gutters is ground erosion. Ground erosion can undermine a foundation, causing structural damages, eroding walkways and driveways, and creating safety hazards. Not only does the dispersion of water prevent ground erosion, it allows the transformation of what might otherwise be a torrential downpour of rain streaming from old gutters into a gentle distribution of water droplets, protecting shrubbery and delicate flowers below.