Caulking for rain gutters - need advice.

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jdf405

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Greetings. I realize this is somewhat tangential to plumbing in its purest sense, but it pertains to water control & caulking - things we deal with often here...

I had rain gutters installed a few years ago. I live in the Los Angeles area. The corner joints were caulked by the contractor, but have since started to leak a bit. The leaking will destroy the fascia boards. Last year I removed a corner, cleaned it very carefully with acetone, and applied a clear latex door & window caulk that boasted flexibility. (I appologize but I no longer have the tube to tell you the brand). It was not silicone. Needless to say, its leaking again.

I should say: I spoke to the contractor and he wasn't interested in helping and told me he uses "door & window" caulking...

What would be the best kind of caulk to seal aluminum rain gutters? Silicone? Polyseam seal?

Any adice would be apprecaited.

Regards
Jonathan
 

Jimbo

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Go to a good hardware store...even HD will have a good selection of caulks. Look for one specifically for gutters, and/or specifically for aluminum. If you caulk the inside, where color doesn't matter, Henry's 208 is a good choice.

I think general purpose door/window caulk is NOT the best product for this application.
 

Hardt

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FWIW, I had the same problem and could not remedy it by caulking. No matter what I used, it would start leaking in a few years. My gutters are aluminum and I suppose it is subject to much expanding and contracting which is hard on caulking. Like you, I was worried about the end cuts of the facia corners rotting. Finally, I wised up and decided to use scrap aluminum standing-seam roofing material to make shields for the corners. My facia is 2x8 and I made the shields 7 1/2" high and about 12" long, bent in the middle of the length and then slipped in between the gutter and the facia board. Now my corners remain dry, and that is saying something when we get about 10 feet of rain annually!!
 

jdf405

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Thanks Jimbo & Hardt!

I will try re-caulking, but what I failed to mention in the original email was I stuck a scrap piece of Kerdi between the gutter and fascia to act as a shield - very much like what Hardt had recommended.

Thanks!
Jonathan
 
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