Refix loose gutter brackets to restore the correct fall so rainwater drains away instead of pooling or overflowing.
GU-01Check the weather and plan the jobPick a dry, calm day. Wet or windy conditions make ladder work dangerous and you need the gutter dry to see the fall clearly. Have a helper nearby if you can, especially for moving the ladder along the run.
GU-02Set up your ladder and gather toolsPosition your ladder on firm, level ground at the first section you need to reach. Take up a bucket for debris, a cloth, a screwdriver or drill-driver, replacement screws, and any new brackets. Move the ladder rather than leaning or stretching sideways.
GU-03Clear leaves and debris from the gutterScoop out leaves, moss and silt by hand into the bucket. A blocked gutter holds extra weight, which is often what pulled the bracket loose in the first place. Wipe the inside of the channel so you can see the joints and brackets clearly.
GU-04Find out why the gutter is saggingLook for a bracket that has pulled away from the fascia board, screws that have worked loose, or a section where the fall looks wrong (water should run gently towards the downpipe, not sit flat or dip the wrong way). Check the fascia board itself for soft, dark or crumbly wood, which means rot rather than just a loose fixing.
GU-05Loosen or remove the affected bracketUndo the screws holding the sagging bracket and lift the gutter section clear so you can see the fascia board behind it. Keep one hand supporting the gutter so it doesn't drop.
GU-06Check the fascia board is soundPush a screwdriver gently into the board where the bracket sits. If it's solid, you're fine to refix into it. If it's soft or crumbles, the screw has nothing to grip, and you'll need to fill or replace that section of fascia board before refitting the bracket, or the repair will fail again within months.
1 each · Exterior wood filler or fascia repair kit
GU-07Refit the bracket with the correct fallScrew the bracket back into solid timber using 40mm stainless steel woodscrews, angled so the gutter tilts very slightly towards the downpipe — a fall of about 1mm drop for every 600mm run is right for normal guttering. Space brackets no more than 1m apart along the run, and add one if there's a longer gap than that. Old screw holes in soft or worn timber won't grip well, so move the bracket a little to one side onto fresh wood if needed.
GU-08Check and reseal the joints nearbyPush the gutter section back into its union or joint clips and check it sits square. If the joint seal looks cracked or has gone hard, clean it off and run a bead of gutter sealant along the joint before pressing it together again.
GU-09Test the repair with waterPour a bucket of water in at the far end of the run and watch it travel down to the downpipe. It should flow steadily with no pooling, dripping at joints, or overflow at the back edge. Fix any slow spots by adjusting the bracket fall slightly before you pack up.
GU-10Tidy up and pack awayBag up the leaves and debris from the bucket for green waste. Wipe your tools dry before putting them away, since damp tools rust. Give the ladder a final check as you bring it down, and store it flat or secured so it can't fall.
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