Not every gutter problem is a blockage. If water drips or runs from one particular spot on the gutter line even in light rain, and the rest of the run behaves itself, you're probably looking at the joint rather than the contents.
How to tell a joint leak from a blockage
A blocked gutter overflows over the front edge, usually along a stretch of the run and worst in heavy rain. A failed joint leaks from one point — a union between two lengths, a corner, or a stop end — and it does it in any rain, because water travelling along the gutter finds the gap on its way to the downpipe.
The giveaway from the ground is a single drip line or a dark streak on the wall directly below a joint, while the gutter either side looks fine.
What actually causes it
Plastic guttering is joined with rubber-sealed fittings, and those seals have a working life. The common causes we see on Kent homes:
- Perished rubber seals — they dry out, shrink and crack over the years, especially on south-facing elevations.
- A sagging bracket — when a bracket lets go, the gutter drops out of level, water pools at the low point and finds any weakness in the nearest joint.
- Debris sitting against the joint — wet leaves hold water against the seal permanently, which speeds up the perishing.
- Movement — gutters expand and contract with temperature, and a joint that was clipped together slightly out of line works itself loose over time.
Will clearing the gutter fix it?
Sometimes, if the leak is really a localised blockage backing water up to the joint. But if the seal itself has failed, clearing the gutter won't stop the drip — the joint needs resealing or the fitting replacing. That's a small, cheap repair, but it does need doing: a joint that drips all winter is putting water down the same patch of brickwork for months.
What we do when we find one
When we clear a gutter we can see the joints as we go, and we'll tell you if one is leaking or a bracket has failed. We'll always show you what we've found rather than just mentioning it — you get before and after photos of the run as standard, so you can see the state of it for yourself.
The short version
- A drip from one spot in light rain is usually a joint, not a blockage.
- Perished seals and sagging brackets are the usual causes.
- Clearing the gutter won't fix a failed seal — the joint needs resealing.
- A small drip all winter means months of water down one patch of wall.
