penman Posted March 9, 2010 Share Posted March 9, 2010 Hi All, Have returned to discover that winter frosts have ravaged our lovely built -in gutters . Deep dark stains in the render are a testament to leaking joints . One downspout is semi-detached from the gutter and a corner weld joining two sections has failed . I hate ladder work and am wondering if someone can offer me the safest way to effect a repair, ie which is the most effective product to buy ? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gluestick Posted March 9, 2010 Share Posted March 9, 2010 A gas-powered soldering iron; the correct décapant (Flux), the correct solder filler: and some spare Zinc sheet!The iron needs significant thermal mass: i.e. it must be very chunky![:)] Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
La Guerriere Posted March 9, 2010 Share Posted March 9, 2010 and practice first on some spare sheet at ground level before attempting the repair. It's awfully easy to make 'oles. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chancer Posted March 10, 2010 Share Posted March 10, 2010 I have a nagging feeling that perhaps the OP was looking for something that can be applied from a silicone gun or watering can, but maybe I am being unfair. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
penman Posted March 10, 2010 Author Share Posted March 10, 2010 Thanks chaps and Chancers nagging feeling is on the mark . Perhaps not a silicon gun but I dont have the skill or confidenc to do a full-on professional job atop a ladder . A couple of years ago I had a similar problem ( fissure between two sections and I attempted a repair by using a fibre glass section coated with epoxy- like a car body repair. Its been ok (touch wood) and I guess I was hoping that someone might know a more robust solution along similar lines . The downspout is not in a critical position and is fairly accesible so I can attempt a more traditional solution . Its the high level gutter repair that worries me . Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chancer Posted March 10, 2010 Share Posted March 10, 2010 Bodges that I have seen and done which seem to last a reasonable while involve 2 materials.Grey polyurethane car body sealant, Sikaflex, PU-flex or the equivalent (Brico-depot do one), if you can remove the oxidisation this sticks like s**t to a blanket and has a very high mechanical strength, I used to glue car wings on with it rather than spot welding.The other that a soi disant couvreur had done to my guttering involved a bitumen coated lead/aluminium strip, a bit like a flashband but much thicker, he had put it on with a blowtorch on the outside of a downpipe bend that had rotted out, it worked for sevearl years before I replaced the gutters and I was not able to seperate it from the zinc. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gluestick Posted March 10, 2010 Share Posted March 10, 2010 One of the core probs you have, penman, is a different rate of expansion between the native gutter and the repair material: and also the problem of obtaining a really good bond to the zinc.Gutters become very hot in France in Summer: and expand like billy oh!Even in the North on a really warm sunny day, I can hear my plastic guttering creak, crack and groan as it expands. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dave21478 Posted March 10, 2010 Share Posted March 10, 2010 Brico Depot sell a product (probably available in other diy places too) that I have used to good effect in the past.Its in a silicone style tube, applied with a gun and is called Fortix Anti-Fuites pour Toitures et Gouttieres.Its a very thick product that sticks very well indeed to both zinc and plastic, and seems to remain flexible enough to accommodate expansion and movement. The surfaces must be completely dry though, as it refuses to stick if they are damp, but once set seems to hold very well indeed.Dont get it on your hands though - not much gets it off again. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
penman Posted March 10, 2010 Author Share Posted March 10, 2010 GS. Thanks for the rationale which helps a mere bodger understand the issue derriere la bodge ; Chancer, Bodges I have done and known will stay with me as a classic ; Dave, could this be the holy grail ? Muchos gracias amigos ! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Babbles Posted March 11, 2010 Share Posted March 11, 2010 We had our very long zinc gutters replaced last year a real pro job but cost over 5K they were beyond repair and did a good impersonation of a colander, but the damage caused by leaking gutter is endless so they had to be fixed. Although it was a lot of money its one of the few jobs we've had done that was well worth the money. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gluestick Posted March 11, 2010 Share Posted March 11, 2010 [quote user="penman"]GS. Thanks for the rationale which helps a mere bodger understand the issue derriere la bodge ; Chancer, Bodges I have done and known will stay with me as a classic ; Dave, could this be the holy grail ? Muchos gracias amigos ![/quote]No es nada. ¡Vaya con Dios! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BIG MAC Posted March 12, 2010 Share Posted March 12, 2010 Acrypol Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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