| Author | Message | ||
     jamie callan |
I am doing some repairs on a 1929 ludowici tile roof, that has copper gutters. I have found several small holes in the gutters that appear to have been burned through by the water runoff. Is this normal? is the best solution to install patches until the gutter seems neccessary to replace? | ||
| Walter Musson |
Copper is soft so over time water does wear holes in both gutters and valley sides where constant water dripping eats away at the same spot. Yes, patching those small holes will extend the gutters life until more numerous deterioration makes replacement necessary.I use EPDM flashing at times since soldering on a patch is not easy with old copper. | ||
| admin |
You can also use lifetime silicon caulk to seal small holes in copper gutters. Joe | ||
| Anonymous |
Scrape and clean small holes or cracked seams with a plumbers wire brush,remove all dust and grit and use Alcoa gutter seal .it seals very well and looks similiar to solder. | ||
| jamie callan |
what is the proper method of soldering new copper gutter joints? i understand the gutter should overlap about 2". i have seen some joints that are soldered in the gutter and some on the outside of the gutter. For joints that are soldered after that gutter is installed, it seems much easier, and better, to solder from the inside. any thoughts? | ||
| Walter Musson |
I always solder from the inside for watertightness and cleaner looking work.Once in place you can't reach the rear of the gutter to solder from the outside anyway. | ||
| jchan |
You can use a wire wheel to clean off the old solder and patinaed copper and apply a strong flux to it such as stay clean, and the old copper will re-solder. |
