DIY: How to Repair Leaking Downspout Joints

The gutter downspout is the number one place for leaks to begin in the entire gutter system. That's because the downspout is where the gutter connects and runs to the ground where it is easily susceptible to jarring and being moved around by people, animals, or other uncontrollable forces near the ground. Maybe you ran into the gutter with the lawn mower and jolted the joint loose or maybe little John thought it was cool to play with during the last rain storm. No matter what the reason, it is often necessary to repair downspout joints.

Materials Needed to Fix Downspout Joints

Caulk Gun
Clear Silicone
Screwdriver
Razor Knife
Ladder

To Repair Downspout Joints

Begin by setting the ladder in position so that you can get to the leaky downspout to repair it. Make sure that the ladder is on a flat surface and is steady before climbing it to begin the gutter downspout repair.

Remove the leaking downspout from the gutter system. You will probably have to remove additional gutter pieces that are also attached to the downspout to properly repair the leaking joint. Take off only what is necessary from the gutter system to be able to fully remove the leaking spout from the joint area. You will need to use the screwdriver to remove any hardware that is holding the gutter system together.

Using a razor knife, cut away any caulk or silicone that is on the inside of the joint where the gutter downspout was leaking. Make sure that you have thoroughly cleaned the surface of the joint so that you can get a clean connection when you put the downspout back together.

Using the caulk gun, insert a tube of silicone into the gun and cut the tip of the silicone at a 45 degree angle so that a clean bead of silicone will run from the gun.

Run a thick bead of silicone onto the gutter that will insert into the downspout. This will create a bond between the two pieces of the gutter system and the silicone will prevent water from escaping the gutter downspout.

After you repair downspout joints with silicone you will use the supplied hardware to replace the gutter system into its existing area. The use of the silicone on the downspout will keep it from leaking in the future. Additional silicone can be placed around any screws that may be leaking in the gutter system as well to create a water tight seal.