Gutters Overflowing in Rain
A gutter that overflows in heavy rain is usually blocked or has lost its fall, so water sits instead of running to the outlet. Clearing it starts at €70 in Dublin; resetting the brackets so it falls again is a repair, up to €450. Now and then the gutter is simply too small for the roof.
The four causes, how to tell them apart from the ground, and the fix for each.
Free, no obligation. One local company prices it, not five.
- from €70a clear-out
- €80 to €450the fall reset
- 73.9 mmDublin's wettest day, 1991 to 2020
The four causes
- A blockage: moss, leaves or a ball at the outlet. Water spills in one place, near the outlet. The fix is a clear-out and a flush of the downpipe.
- A lost fall: a bracket has dropped, so the gutter dips away from the outlet. Water spills at the low point even when the gutter is clean.
- A valley or a long roof into one outlet: a valley sends a lot of water into one corner. A wider gutter, a second outlet or a valley guard fixes it.
- A gutter too small: a 112 mm half round on a big roof can't keep up in a downpour. A deeper profile is a replacement job.
How often it really rains that hard
- 73.9 mmthe most rain in a single day at Dublin Airport, 1991 to 2020
- 137 daysa year with 1 mm of rain or more
- 82.7 mmaverage November rain, the wettest month
- 78.4 mmaverage October rain, when the leaves come down
Overflowing that starts every October is almost always leaves. Overflowing in a summer downpour is more likely the fall or the size. Met Éireann's 1991 to 2020 averages for Dublin Airport.
What the fixes cost
| Job | Typical cost | What moves the price |
|---|---|---|
| Cleared and the downpipes flushed | €120 to €280 | Often the cure for overflowing |
| Loose or broken brackets refixed, the fall reset | €80 to €450 | How long the sagging run is |
| A section of gutter replaced | €300 to €500 | Length, matching the old profile and colour |
Cleaning on its own is on our sister site, gutter cleaning costs in Dublin.
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Gutter faults we cover
Each one priced, with the usual cause and the usual fix.
Leaking jointsA perished seal in a union or outlet. €80 to €450.
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
My gutter is clean but still overflows. Why?
It has lost its fall, a bracket has dropped, or the outlet is too small or blocked further down the downpipe.
Do gutter guards stop overflowing?
They stop leaves, not a lost fall. Guards on a gutter that sags just hide the problem.
Can overflowing cause damp?
Yes. Water over the front soaks the wall below, and a sheet of water at the back runs behind the gutter into the fascia and the wall top.
How do I check the fall?
Pour a bucket of water in the far end of the run. It should all go out the outlet within a minute, with nothing left lying.
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.