If your gutters are leaking, the prime suspects are the joints between sections. Standing water in gutters eventually will rust galvanized steel or seep through seams of aluminum gutters.

First check for signs of standing water and sagging. Adjust or add gutter hangers as needed. Allow insides of gutters to dry out, brush leaking seams clean, and then apply silicone-rubber caulking compound along the seams on the inside and outside of the gutter to seal the leak.

Patch small holes with roofing cement. Use a putty knife to spread the cement generously around the hole. Do this on a warm day, or if the weather is cool, warm the cement to room temperature so it spreads easily.

Repair larger holes in gutters by covering them with patches. Take a sheet-metal patch, embed it in roofing cement, and then apply another coat of cement over the patch.

Seal leaky joints with silicone caulk, as shown at left.

Patch a hole in a gutter with roofing cement and a small piece of sheet metal, as shown at right.

If your climate delivers abundant rainfall, you may want to have your downspout run into a dry well. The well should be a hole 2 to 4 feet wide and 3 feet deep, or a 55-gallon drum, with both ends removed and filled with rocks, that you’ve buried and punctured with holes. Underground drainage pipes should slope to the dry well, which will keep water away from the house’s foundation. Check local building codes before installing.