Gutter repair in Portland

The repairs we do most in Portland

Runs that hold water. The number one call. Old spike hangers work loose from wet fascia, the run bellies in the middle, and the low spot holds water from October to May and grows moss. We re-hang on hidden screw hangers every 24 inches — 18 on runs under a big roof — and set a fall of a quarter inch per 10 feet so the water has somewhere to go. This is sagging gutter repair in its most common form, and it is usually $150–$300 a run.

Leaking corners and end caps. Portland's problem is not heat cracking the sealant; it is sealant that never gets a dry week to cure and slowly lets go. We clean the joint back to bare metal, dry it, and reseal with a polyurethane or tripolymer sealant that bonds wet-climate aluminum. Corroded mitres get replaced.

Outlets that are too small. A lot of gutters here — especially half-round and older K-style — were punched with a 2-inch outlet feeding a 2x3 downspout. Add a mat of fir needles and the run overflows in a drizzle. We cut a proper outlet and drop to a 3x4 downspout, which roughly doubles capacity for around $180–$300.

Crushed, split or missing downspouts. Recycling bins, ladders, cars in the driveway, and the freeze that split a downspout full of standing water in January. Replacement is quick and we upsize while we are there.

Sections torn loose by wind. The November through February windstorms get under a loose gutter and peel it back. Straight sections get re-hung; kinked ones get replaced and colour-matched.

Rotted fascia and soffit. The one people cannot see from the ground. A gutter that has been overflowing behind for a few winters soaks the fascia, then the soffit, then the rafter tails. New gutters cannot be hung on soft wood. We cut out the rot, sister rafter tails if needed, and install new primed fascia before re-hanging. Fascia and soffit work is quoted per foot; on most houses it is two or three boards at the corners and outlets.

Repair or replace?

Aluminum or copper, younger than 25, trouble in one or two spots — repair. Sectional with joints every 10 feet, galvanized with a rust line, or trouble on most of the runs — the patch list adds up to a new system without the warranty, and we say so. We put both numbers on the estimate and let you choose. The installation page explains what replacement includes.

What a repair visit looks like

1. Ladder inspection of every run and outlet, and a screwdriver test on the fascia behind each one.
2. A check of where each downspout ends. One that stops beside a basement wall or a crawl-space vent gets an extension or a drain-line fix on the estimate — the cheapest insurance a Portland basement can have.
3. A written price on the spot. Repairs under $400 usually get done the same visit if you say yes.
4. A hose test of the repaired section before we leave.

Neighborhoods we repair gutters in

Laurelhurst, Irvington, Alameda and Grant Park (1920s homes with original half-round and old-growth fascia), Sellwood, Woodstock and Eastmoreland, Alberta and Concordia, Montavilla and Mt. Tabor, St. Johns and Kenton, Multnomah Village, Hillsdale and the Southwest Hills (cedar shake and steep roofs under big fir), plus Beaverton, Tigard, Lake Oswego, Milwaukie and Gresham. See our pages for Beaverton and Lake Oswego.

If you typed gutter repair near me Portland into your phone and want to check your own problem first, our post on finding a gutter leak before you call walks through the hose test.