Leaking Gutter Joints
A gutter that drips at a joint has a perished seal. On plastic gutters the rubber gasket inside the union shrinks after 15 to 25 years; a new union or seal fixes it, €80 to €450 in Dublin. Sealant smeared over the outside lasts a season.
Where joints are, why they fail, and the repair that lasts.
Free, no obligation. One local company prices it, not five.
- €80 to €450a joint resealed
- 15 to 25 yrsa plastic gutter seal's usual life
- 4 mabout the gap between unions
Where the joints are
- Unions: the clips joining two lengths, every 4 m or so.
- Outlets: where the gutter drops into the downpipe.
- Angles: the corners, which take the most movement.
- Stop ends: the caps at each end of a run.
Plastic expands and shrinks a lot between a frosty night and a sunny afternoon. The gasket takes that movement until it hardens, then the joint lets go.
The fix that lasts
- The joint is opened and the old gasket taken out.
- The gutter ends are cleaned and checked for cracks.
- A new union, or a new gasket in the old one, matched to the profile: half round, square, ogee or deep flow.
- A water test with a hose before they leave.
On aluminium the joint is riveted and sealed with gutter sealant; the old sealant is cut out first. On cast iron the joint bolt is undone, the faces cleaned to bare metal, resealed and painted: see cast iron repair.
What a joint repair costs
| Job | Typical cost | What moves the price |
|---|---|---|
| A leaking joint or outlet resealed | €80 to €450 | How many joints, ladder or tower, the profile |
| Several small repairs on one house, one visit | €180 to €250 | Joints, brackets and an outlet together |
| A section of gutter replaced | €300 to €500 | Length, matching the old profile and colour |
Repairs to a house are at the reduced 13.5% VAT rate. Access (a tower, a cherry picker, scaffolding) is priced on top.
Every guide, price check and Dublin area
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Gutter faults we cover
Each one priced, with the usual cause and the usual fix.
Overflowing guttersA blockage, a lost fall, or a gutter too small for the roof.
Sagging guttersBrackets refixed and the fall reset. €80 to €450.
Downpipe repairClips, joints and cracked lengths. €24 to €75 to repair.
Storm damageWhat to do the same day, and what gets fixed first.
Cast iron repairPeriod houses: joints resealed, lengths restored.Gutter repairs in every part of Dublin
- Dublin 1 and 736.7% of homes built before 1946
- Dublin 2 and 437.8% of homes built before 1946
- Dublin 833.8% of homes built before 1946
- Pembroke42.5% of homes built before 1946
- Rathmines46.6% of homes built before 1946
- Ballyfermot20.5% of homes built before 1946
- Cabra42.9% of homes built before 1946
- Finglas3.7% of homes built before 1946
- Artane7.3% of homes built before 1946
- Clontarf29.3% of homes built before 1946
- Donaghmede1.7% of homes built before 1946
- Swords2% of homes built before 1946
- Malahide6.3% of homes built before 1946
- Balbriggan6.9% of homes built before 1946
- Rush6.5% of homes built before 1946
- Castleknock1.6% of homes built before 1946
- Blanchardstown1.4% of homes built before 1946
- Ongar0.6% of homes built before 1946
- Lucan1.4% of homes built before 1946
- Palmerstown1.8% of homes built before 1946
- Clondalkin2.3% of homes built before 1946
- Tallaght Central1.3% of homes built before 1946
- Tallaght South0.8% of homes built before 1946
- Firhouse2.2% of homes built before 1946
- Rathfarnham5.3% of homes built before 1946
- Dún Laoghaire25.5% of homes built before 1946
- Blackrock18.7% of homes built before 1946
- Stillorgan8.6% of homes built before 1946
- Dundrum10.7% of homes built before 1946
- Sandyford2.6% of homes built before 1946
- Killiney6.5% of homes built before 1946
Find the fault, see the price
Four taps: the photo that looks like your gutter, the house, the material and the area. You see the likely cause, the fix and our price. Your number is only asked for at the end, if you want one gutter repair company that covers your part of Dublin to ring you.
Questions people ask
Can I just put sealant on it?
On the outside, it lasts weeks or months: water gets behind it. The seal has to be inside the joint.
Why does it only drip when it's cold?
Plastic shrinks in the cold and opens the joint. A gasket that has hardened can't follow it.
Is a dripping joint urgent?
Not on its own, but water on the same spot of wall for a winter soaks the brick or render and the footing below.
How long does a new seal last?
A new union usually outlasts the rest of an old gutter. If most joints are dripping, the gutter is near the end.
Get your gutter fixed
One local gutter repair company, often a price from a photo. Free, no obligation. Nothing is booked until you say yes.