Gutters: overflowing, leaking and sagging
Gutters carry rain off the roof and away from the house. When they fail you see it as water overflowing the edge, or as a gutter that leaks or sags. In winter, ice can fill them; see ice dams. Ladder safety comes first, and two-story gutters are a job for a pro.
- Gutters overflowing?Water pours over the edge of the gutter in rain, from clogs, a blocked downspout, a lost slope, heavy rain or winter ice.
- Gutters leaking or sagging?A gutter that drips at seams or corners, or pulls away and hangs low, from failed sealant, rust, loose hangers, heavy debris or rotted fascia.
Typical lifespan: about 20 years for aluminum or galvanized steel, and about 50 for copper
Signs it is near the end:
- Rust holes or cracks keep appearing.
- Seams leak again soon after resealing.
- The gutter sags or pulls away from the fascia.
- The fascia board behind it is soft or rotted.
- Look at the gutters from the ground after rain for overflow, drips and sags.
- Check that water comes out of the bottom of each downspout.
- Keep leaves and debris out of the gutters and downspouts.
- Look at the fascia board behind the gutter for soft or dark spots.
- Use a ladder only on firm, level ground and a dry day, and leave two-story gutters to a pro.
- FurnaceFall
The furnace runs but the house stays cold, which is usually a clogged filter, a thermostat setting, or an ignition fault.
- Heat pumpFall
The heat pump runs but the house stays cold, which is usually thermostat settings, a clogged filter, or an iced-over outdoor unit.
- Washer
Water is left in the drum after the cycle, which is usually a clogged pump filter or a kinked drain hose.
- Fridge
The fridge section is warm or warming. The cause depends on whether the freezer is still cold, and the first fix is often free.
- Washer
The drum fills and washes but won't spin, which is usually an unbalanced load, the lid switch, or a drain problem.
Diagnose your gutters in seconds, for free
No account, no phone number. Fixology’s AI reads your photo and tells you what’s likely wrong, how worried to be, and whether it’s a DIY fix.
Snap one of these:
- the overflowing or leaking section during rain, if you can
- where the downspout meets the gutter
- the gutter from the side, showing any sag
- the fascia board behind the gutter
Add a note or more photos next. Nobody calls you.
Fixology helps you understand your home — it isn't a substitute for a licensed pro on serious gas, electrical, or structural work.