How To: Deal with a Gutter Leak

How To Deal with a Gutter Leak

*I am not a plumber, nor am I married to one. This is one family’s experience with engineering a short-term solution until a pro could address the issue.

Did you like my little disclaimer? This isn’t a super serious post (shocking, right?), but I thought you’d all get a kick out it!

Tom and I enjoyed a nice holiday on President’s Day. We honored our leaders past and present by doing the only natural thing… helping my parents fix an interior leak caused by frozen gutters.

The gutters outside my parents’ bedroom have been packed full of all the snow and ice we’ve had over the past month, and were dripping with large icicles. On Monday, temps began to creep above freezing, and all of that water had nowhere to go but under their shingles, into their soffit and down the inside of their bedroom window and wall.

After trying to patch the problem with strategically placed bath towels, they realized that this leak required a better solution until they could get someone out to fix the problem.

Window Leak Fix

Enter Tom. This was really a shining moment for him. Whenever there’s a problem that needs solving or a challenge that needs facing, his engineering side kicks in. He channels his inner MacGyver. He makes magic from wire hangers and trash bags.

easy temporary fix for a leak

See, I wasn’t kidding!

Tom grabbed a trash bag, a section of garden hose, painter’s tape, and a wire hanger to rig up a funnel to guide the leaks into a bucket, balanced on a ladder.

use a garden hose to fix a leak

And? It worked! It was still going strong when we left several hours later.

Hopefully no one experiences leaks from frozen gutters or piles of snow. But if you do, you might be able to rig up a temporary solution with everyday household items!

How have you channeled your inner MacGyver? Any similar rig-ups cause by water issues?

8 thoughts on “How To: Deal with a Gutter Leak

  1. Theresa

    Good job, Tom! We have the same issue happening. Except, it’s leaking into our garage. So, no fancy systems, just a big mess. I can’t wait for spring so it can be fixed permanently. In the meantime, we (ahem, husband) clears the roof where this is happening with a “roof shovel”–a long-handled shovel that is used from the ground.

  2. Barb

    Never thought our dripping problem would be out there for all to see.!!!! Good pictures of the funnel and the rest of the “rigging”. They did the trick. Thanks again for all of your help.

  3. Frank Covert

    That’s a pretty clever way of handling it. And you’re right, it’s a pretty MacGyver way of thinking there, and the great thing is that it works.

    Nice thinking.

  4. Michael Gunn

    Great thinking, now I have no excuse in case that may happen to us. Although, we did have a similar problem. Only difference, besides the fact that you thought outside the box, was that our leak was in the garage. MacGyver would have been very proud of you! LOL…

Comments are closed.