Adjusting Rain Gutter Slope

Use a hammer and crowbar to loosen the gutter.

Adjusting rain gutter slope.

If there s standing water it s not pitched properly. You want at least a quarter inch of slope for every 10 feet. Ask someone to hold the gutter while you loosen and remove the gutter brackets or hangers. As a general rule gutter slope is set at 1 4 inch per 10 feet of guttering.

To correct this yourself you ll need to measure from the peak to the downspout. For example if the gutter is 16 feet long the end near the down spout must be 1 inch lower than the starting end. For example if you have 30 feet of guttering the calculation is 1 4 x 3 0 75 i e. Pull the gutter down about 3 quarters of an inch lower than it originally was.

Excessive wind water and debris can knock the gutters out of this alignment. You can unscrew them or use a pry bar to remove the fastener holding the hanger in place lower it the correct amount and refasten. Put a temporary screw at the back to adjust the pitch. Then fasten one end of the string at the highest point of the gutter and the other at the spot where the downspout will be.

To adjust the slope of the gutter wearing gloves pop out the gutter pegs on the side and around the corners. If your house has rain gutters it is wise to do a yearly inspection and replace or adjust the gutters as necessary prior to the rainy season. Drop the gutter to the desired angle sloping it toward the downspout. This means the downspout end of the gutter should be set 3 4 of an inch lower than the other end.

How to determine gutter slope the best way to calculate the slope of a gutter run before hanging it is to use a long string and a string level. If your gutters don t slope then you only need to adjust the hangers and lower them slightly where necessary to achieve the correct slope. First determine the location of each one of your downspouts. Multiply the number of feet by 1 16 inch to determine the total slope the gutter requires.

The gutters were installed using the roof pitch so they slope toward the downspouts. This simple act can turn problem gutters into an efficient drainage system. Loosen the drip edge with a screwdriver. Next place a ladder at the left side of the house and measure from the roof down to the gutter.