All In a Day's Build

Clogs and debris buildup is the most common cause of an overflowing roof gutter, but what if your gutters and downspouts are completely free of obstruction? There are a few different issues that can cause clean gutters to overflow. Fortunately, all are easily repairable.  

1. Poor Alignment

The gutter troughs must be properly aligned beneath your eaves in order for the water to flow into them instead of in front of or behind them. Realigning the gutters so the water from the roof can flow into them properly will prevent overflow from occurring. Further, the troughs shouldn't be installed level, as they need to angle down toward the downspout or they will overflow. 

2. Broken Clips

Sagging gutters will also overflow at the point of the sag, as water will collect here instead of flowing toward the downspout outlet. A common cause of sagging is a missing or broken gutter clip. These clips can break from normal wear and tear. Metal clips may also rust or corrode over time. Check your clips and replace any that are no longer supporting the gutter trough properly.

3. Narrow Downspouts

Sometimes gutters will overflow because of a problem with the downspouts. First, the downspouts must be wide enough to handle the average amount of water that flows into them when it rains. If they are too narrow, then the water will pool at the downspout basin where the gutters empty into it and overflow. There are two ways to fix this. The simplest is to install new, wider downspouts. If you want to keep your old ones, you may need to install additional downspouts along the guttering.

4. Missing Diverters

Diverters keep water flowing as it should through the gutter. Sometimes diverters are necessary at the downspout so water doesn't rush past the spout opening and overflow on the other side. The diverter works as a small dam to guide the flowing water toward the spout opening. A type of diverter called an apron may also be necessary along the lower edge of the roof. The apron guides the water into the gutter so it doesn't flow over the side of the gutter trough. 

5. Gutter Sizing

Much like the size of the downspouts, the size of the gutter troughs must also match the amount of the average flow off the roof during a rain event. If your gutters are still overflowing after all other issues have been addressed, then chances are you need wider or deeper gutters in order to handle the flow. A gutter professional can help you determine the best size guttering for your climate and roof style. 

Contact a residential rain gutter repair service if your gutters are overflowing.