# Rain gutters



## wolfen1086 (Oct 4, 2007)

Ok gurus, I have the old kind not the one piece, there are overlaping ends where the pieces come together at and they leak more than they allow to pass, any ideas on how I can seal them up?
I have tried Mil L 8802 (fuel cell sealant) silicone, epoxy sealant glue, basically everything but bondo, I need them to stop leaking because I have to replace the awning over the porch and I really don;t want the new one I build ruined by water .


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## bruiser (Jul 30, 2005)

Try some roof sealant. The stuff that looks like tar.


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## wolfen1086 (Oct 4, 2007)

Now that's a idea I haven't thought of yet, thanks.


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## DonaldG (Aug 23, 2007)

Make sure that the mating surfaces are spotlessly clean and free from algae growth & dirt. The sealant must be a flexible non drying type so that it will allow for expansion & contraction during temperature swings. I have a very gooey sticky stuff (Like a tar but does not dry hard) on the aluminium guttering of my conservatory - been there 10 years and so far OK...


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## SABL (Jul 4, 2008)

As Donald said.....must be clean!! One of the best caulks for unprimed (prepared specifically for that type sealant) surfaces is butyl rubber.....that stuff sticks to anything!!


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## wolfen1086 (Oct 4, 2007)

Good I have a bad habit of cleaning the surfaces before I seal them, I bought a can of non hardening tar today, now as soon as I get my strength back I'm gonna try sealing then gutters again


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## loosebolt (Feb 7, 2011)

try gutter sealant, i got mine from a rain gutter installation company but have seen similar products at home depot


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## wolfen1086 (Oct 4, 2007)

I've tried that, it only works for about two weeks then the gutter starts leaking around the sealant


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## loosebolt (Feb 7, 2011)

sounds like your getting allot of movement at the joint? im assuming there are screws or rivets holding the two together


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## wolfen1086 (Oct 4, 2007)

Yes there are screws holding the joints together, I use self tapping screw to both hold the joints and to hold the gutters up to the alu roof. I re[;ace the screws as soon as I se them coming loose too, so after I inspect the roof mounting I'll replace all the screws in the joints next.


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## GZ (Jan 31, 2010)

Maybe your joints have arthritis! :grin:

Me and my buddy would probably end up using RTV... It's what we use for everything! :grin:


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## wolfen1086 (Oct 4, 2007)

LOL now your trying to hijack the thread and go from my rain gutter joints to the joints in my body LMAO


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## GZ (Jan 31, 2010)

Hijack... Who said anything about hijacking!


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## wolfen1086 (Oct 4, 2007)

I did  my rain gutters can't have arthritis only I can, and believe me I have it


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## Wrench97 (May 10, 2008)

I went through it with the seam in the middle of my front gutter, finally gave up and went to seamless gutter, from what my buddy the roofer says the joints open up(Freeze/Thaw cycle once water gets into the seam) and get loose allowing more movement then should be there and will leak within 6 months every time. It also has to do with the style hangers used.


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## wolfen1086 (Oct 4, 2007)

Yea, mine do that, 
My gutters are the kind sears used to use on alu roofs back in the 70's what I have is a shingle roof, but before I bought the house the man who owned it before me had Sears install a alu roof, it overhangs the shingle roof by about 8" with the gutter attached to the overhanging part with self taping sheet metal screws and straps that hold it to the alu roofing from the top.


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## SABL (Jul 4, 2008)

Need rivets for the joints........how many self tapping (TEK) screws do you see in the skins of aircraft?? If there exists a possibility of flexing, a screw is futile.

The very least you should use are "sharp point" sheet metal screws......self tappers are no-no in thin material.


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## wolfen1086 (Oct 4, 2007)

Well SABL if you recommend rivets then I guess I'll use rivets  As always when its something I haven' done before An d a recommendation is made on here I will go by that 
Any particular type? like steel of alu? I can get both in just about any size I want.


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## DonaldG (Aug 23, 2007)

Unless SABL suggests another, I would go for the same material that the gutter is made from. That removes the possibility of 'dissimilar' metal corrosion caused by electrolyses.


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## Wrench97 (May 10, 2008)

Aluminum gutters? Use aluminum rivets.


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## speedster123 (Oct 18, 2006)

pvc gutters


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## Wrench97 (May 10, 2008)

speedster123 said:


> pvc gutters


Hm that's easy PVC cement:grin:

They never caught on up here, I think they get too brittle in the cold temps.


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## GZ (Jan 31, 2010)

Nah, 99% of the rain gutters and spouts around here are aluminum. Mine are going to need revamping this year.


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## wolfen1086 (Oct 4, 2007)

speedster123 said:


> pvc gutters


I wish, if I had plastic gutters of any kind I could simply use some old aircraft adhesive I have to gluse them together 

Which gives me an idea I wonder how long it'd last if I rivet the seams and use fiberglass cloth and EA 9309 top hold them together


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## loosebolt (Feb 7, 2011)

sound like its definitely worth a try, i was also wondering just how much of an overlap you have and if this gutter material is still available?


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## wolfen1086 (Oct 4, 2007)

If I leave it like it is and fill the holes I have about 3 inches of overlap, but thanks to me and whoever tried to fix them before I did if I cut away the old scares holes I will end up 2 inches short, BUT if my fiberglass and adhesive is still within its mfg shelf life I can make the seams hard enough to withstand a cat 3 hurricane. Just the seams though. the EA 9309 and fiberglass is what I used to use to repair 46 and 53 mrb's in the Navy if it works on a spinning rotor blade I don't see any reason it wouldn't work on a rain gutter.


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