Oh Canada, springtime. The snow melts, the sun comes out a little longer each day and your gutters? They’ve been through the wringer. After months of freezing, thawing and snow piling up, your home’s drainage system has been more battered than you think.
Before those April (and let’s be real, May and June) showers start pouring, it’s time to give your gutters a good once over. Think of it as spring cleaning for your home’s first line of defence against water damage. Let’s get into the 5 most important gutter repairs you need to do now—before the rainy season sneaks up on you.
1. Reattaching Sagging Gutters
Let’s start with the most obvious (and maybe most annoying) problem: sagging gutters. All that snow and ice over the winter can put a lot of stress on your gutter brackets. Add that to the freeze-thaw cycle and suddenly your gutters are hanging on like a cat on a screen door.
Why It Matters:
If your gutters aren’t sitting snug against your roofline, water won’t flow where it should. Instead it’ll spill over the sides—right onto your foundation, flower beds or driveway. Left alone this can lead to basement leaks, soil erosion or cracked pavement.
What You Can Do:
- Check for gaps between the gutter and fascia board.
- Tighten or replace loose hangers or brackets.
- Upgrade to stronger hardware if needed (especially in older homes).
Pro Tip:
If your gutters are pulling away completely, don’t just screw them back in. The wood underneath might be rotten—best to check before it becomes a bigger issue.
2. Sealing Leaky Joints and Cracks
You know that annoying drip-drip-drip you hear even when it’s just misting out? That’s probably a leaky joint. Over time the seams where gutter sections connect can wear out. Cold weather only makes it worse by expanding those little cracks into big problems.
The Problem:
Water escaping through cracks doesn’t just disappear. It can:
- Stain siding
- Rot fascia boards
- Freeze into dangerous icicles in colder months
- Create ice dams next winter (already dreading it, aren’t you?)
The Fix:* Clean the area thoroughly (no skipping this step!)
- Apply a gutter-specific sealant inside the joint
- For larger cracks, patch with metal flashing or replace the section
This is a DIY-friendly job if you’re comfortable on a ladder. If not, no shame in getting help. No one needs a springtime trip to the ER.
3. Fixing or Replacing Damaged Downspouts
Downspouts get overlooked but they’re the key players in moving water away from your house. When they’re cracked, crushed or disconnected at the base, your entire gutter system is basically moot.
What Can Go Wrong:
- Water pools next to your foundation (never good)
- Rust starts forming (and spreads)
- Pests move in (ants and wasps love damp corners)
What to Watch For:
- Water trickling down the wall instead of exiting the bottom of the downspout
- Visible dents or split seams
- Loose or missing screws at the elbow joints
A proper repair might be as simple as reattaching the elbow or as complex as replacing the full downspout. If it’s rusted through? Just swap it out. Save yourself the headache later.
4. Cleaning Out Clogs and Winter Debris
Okay, this one isn’t technically a “repair,” but it’s so important we had to include it. Gutters filled with leaves, pine needles or that mystery gunk leftover from last fall won’t do their job. Instead they’ll overflow the second it rains.
The Trouble With Clogs:
- Gutters can sag or break under the weight
- Water doesn’t drain—it pours
- Birds and bugs might decide it’s a prime nesting spot
Get Ahead of It:
- Scoop out visible debris
- Flush with a hose to test flow
- Install gutter guards (if you’re sick of doing this every spring)
Cleaning might sound boring but your future self (and your basement) will thank you.
5. Checking for Winter Damage
Winter is rough on everything but gutters take a particularly hard hit. Ice can warp metal, pull gutters away from the house or even crack plastic components without much warning.
Signs You’ve Got Damage:
- Buckling or warped sections
- Rust patches or bubbling paint
- Water stains on siding
- Sections that aren’t draining at all
What You Can Do: Inspect after the first big thaw
- Document any damage (photos are helpful if you need professional repairs)
- Replace anything beyond a patch job
If your gutters look like they went 12 rounds with a Alberta blizzard, it’s time for a full system replacement—or at least a few strategic upgrades.
Call in the Pros
Look, climbing a ladder in the spring winds is no one’s idea of fun. And some of these fixes, like replacing long gutter runs or patching fascia boards, are best left to people with the right tools (and insurance).
Calling in pros means:
- You don’t get hurt
- Repairs are done right the first time
- You get advice specific to your home’s layout and weather exposure
Plus, pros can spot problems you might miss — like hidden rot, animal nests or grading issues that affect runoff.
So while it’s nice to DIY a bit of spring maintenance, there’s no shame in leaving the ladder work to someone who climbs them every day.
Spring is a fresh start—for nature and your home. Giving your gutters the attention they need now will save you money, stress and soggy shoes later.
So whether you’re tightening a bracket, sealing a seam or calling in the troops, just remember: clean gutters = dry home.
Because when that first spring storm hits (and oh boy, it will), you’ll be glad your gutters are ready to go.
