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Do You Glue Gutter Drain Pipe? Not Always

Caring for your gutter system starts with keeping it clean.

If you are thinking about repairing or re-routing a gutter drain system in your home, you may be asking yourself whether or not you should glue a gutter drain pipe.

You can do just fine without gluing the gutter drain pipe for the section that is running underground. However, if you are looking to repair a rusted or damaged section of gutter pipe that is above the ground, you may want to consider using PVC glue to keep the cracked pipe secure.

Gutter maintenance involves inspecting the gutter system and keeping the gutters clean, but gutter repair is a different story.

PVC gutter drain pipes that are fading, sagging, or tearing can be easily re-routed to different areas in the yard such as planting beds, flower beds, or landscape areas.

If you do not use glue on your gutter drain pipe reroute project, it is possible to remove the old pipe and replace it with a new one or re-route the gutter drain line to a different location in your yard.

Before we get into the details of how to determine whether a section of gutter drain pipe is in good working order, let’s cover the basic information on when to use glue on your gutter system.

Read More: Can You Put Gutters on Your Balcony?

Do you glue gutter drain pipe?

Frequent gutter cleaning is often needed for the prevention of water and debris from clogging up the gutters.

A blocked gutter results in water damage to your property.

One of the ways to prevent this is by installing a downspout extension that links with the gutter drain pipe.

This will ensure that water flows freely and is directed away from the building.

But what happens when you need to fix cracks on the downspout extension or the pipe?

Should you glue gutter drain pipe together or should it be done differently?

It highly depends on whether you’re tackling the underground or the above ground problem.

For the underground, there is no need to paste the gutter drain pipe together.

Instead, you need to make sure a downspout extension is installed so that the water will flow away from your property.

But for the above ground portion of the pipe, you will need to use some adhesive glue or another type of sealing material that will hold the pipe together.

The purpose of this is to prevent water from leaking out and causing flooding in your building.

If you have a crack or hole on your gutter pipe that has not been fixed, don’t let it pile up with water and debris.

Get it repaired as soon as possible to avoid expensive and costly repairs later on.

When is it necessary to use glue on underground gutter drain pipe?

Caring for your gutter system is essential in preventing water and debris from clogging up the pipe.

This should even be done regularly to prevent any unnecessary problems.

As we mentioned, glue is not needed for the underground portion of your pipe.

However, there are certain scenarios where it is necessary to use glue for underground pipes as well.

For instance, when you have growing trees nearby, their roots can penetrate the cracks on the pipe.

When this happens, the tree roots will block water from flowing out so it can lead to a clogged gutter.

Vines and other plants can also pose a threat to the pipe if they are allowed to grow unchecked.

Which glue to use

Nails, screws, and staples are horrible for gutter drains. They do not last very long. If your house has been put together right and your gutter drain is not leaking, you might want to consider gluing your gutter downspouts.

What kind of sealant should you use?

There are a variety of types of caulking to choose from to cover the cracks on gutter drains.

While there are many caulking compounds out there that can help fix a leaky gutter, only some will be worth your time.

The best caulk will stay flexible and not harden over time. It will also last a long time, which is really important.

Ensure that you have any of the following quality caulking compounds for your gutter upkeep:

  • Polymer caulk
  • Polyurethane caulk
  • Butyl rubber

Worried about how to locate cracks and other problems your gutter has?

Read on to get ways on how you can identify gutter issues you may have.

Locating the problems with gutter drain pipe

A homeowner should know how to identify a leaky gutter drain pipe. It will help them in making the right decisions and avoid any costly repairs.

I had to learn the hard way that even if you replace a section of your gutter drain pipe, it’s not enough. 

The pinhole leaks can travel along the gutters and drain pipe.

So, what is the first step in troubleshooting? 

It’s always checking for obvious problems. Of course, this is something you can’t ignore

You should also look for the signs of loose screws, warped wood along the drain pipe or a random missing bracket.

Uneven brackets can be replaced rather easily. 

You would have to remove the old ones and fit new ones in their places. 

However, if a large number of brackets are affected, you might want to hire a professional gutter repair company instead. This will ensure that everything is fixed properly within the shortest period of time.

Next, you should check for leaks along the gutter drain pipe. 

Some homeowners aren’t able to identify a problem until it’s too late, and the damage is already done. 

This has to change. 

Make sure you never ignore any unusual noises or signs of water coming from the drain pipe.

Wet spots are the most common signs of a leaky gutter drain pipe. More severe problems include missing shingles, rotting wood, large gaps and more. 

You might have to repair other areas of your home before dealing with the problem on your hands. Keep in mind that gutter drain pipes are sometimes beyond repair.

If you have to replace your entire gutter system, make sure you get a high-quality one.

How to keep your gutters clean

Eliminating clogs from your gutters is an important part of keeping a home in good condition.

While you may think the best way to keep your gutters clean is to simply have someone install a gutter guard and call it good, the truth is that keeping your gutters free of debris will help your home stay in better condition over time.

As with any other part of a home, gutter-cleaning is easier if you know what you are doing.

I am going to take you through some explanations that will help make sure you are on the right track when it comes to keeping your gutters clean.

Here’s a look at the best way to maintain your gutters:

1. Dormant time is important for gutter care

If you want to keep your gutters functioning properly, you need to plan well ahead by scheduling a gutter cleaning well before the rainy seasons begin.

Gutters can protect your foundation from erosion, but they are not invincible. 

When gutter-cleaning is neglected for long periods of time, the gutters can become thick with grime and that protects nothing.

2. Kinked gutters are an issue

If your gutters have become kinked or damaged at all, you need to fix them before spring.

If your gutter guards have caused the kinks, you need to remove them and fix the issue.

Zig-zagging gutters are a problem because water will not flow smoothly through them. 

That means you need to clean your gutters more frequently, which makes the gutter-cleaning process more time consuming.

3. Remove gutter debris before winter begins

One of the best times to clean your gutters is before the cold, snowy days come.

Gutter cleaning during winter is much more complicated than it is during other seasons.

If you are cleaning your gutters during the winter, consider how much more difficult it will be to clean leaves and small twigs out of your pipes without dropping everything into a snowbank below.

4. Do your homework on gutter guards

You may think that installing gutter guards is the best way to stay on top of your gutter maintenance, but these products may be causing you more harm than good.

Weight from the gutters and debris in them can cause your gutter guards to fall off more often than they’ll stay on.

When it comes time to clean out your gutters, you can expect to be removing more than just leaves and small twigs.

5. Maintain your downspouts

Fallen leaves and branches cause gutter problems. In addition, if a heavy rainstorm occurs in a large amount of leaves and branches, the debris can clog your gutters and cause more problems.

A key to keeping your gutters clear is to make sure the downspouts are pointed in the direction of your backyard.

When rainwater falls on the roof and travels across your home, it may not immediately reach the ground because it stops at your gutter.

You want to be sure that water from rain will flow directly into your yard without being directed into the foundation of your home by way of your gutters.

Glue is not always necessary!

Above ground gutter drain pipe has to be glued.

Meanwhile, the underground gutter drain pipe does not need to be glued sometimes.

Owing to the difference in usage and environment, they are different.

Consequently, glue has to be applied in some situations, and it does not have to be used in other cases.

I have explained the necessity of glue with this article.

In addition, I hope that it will be useful for your work.

Zebedee Nambaleo
Zebedee Nambaleo

Zebedee is the founder of RealEstate Ke. He creates content by carefully examining and analyzing the real estate market, home improvement resources, and government data. His analysis is based on the principle of supplying high-quality, relevant, and in-depth information to his audience. By evaluating the current conditions and predicting future trends, he provides his audience with invaluable insights that allow them to make better decisions.