Repairing eavestrough holes?
 

I have several holes in my metal eavestrough. I have tried some so called
leak stoppers to no avail.

I was wondering if I took a propane torch and burned all the crud off and
then polished with a wire brush and then some acid flux and solder if it may
work Any ideas? I am assuming the eavestroughs are galvanized so I am not
sure if it would stick or not. Failing that - any ideas on a repair
technique?

Aside from these 2 or 3 holes, they are fine everywhere else.

thanks

Ebeneezer wrote: I have several holes in my metal eavestrough. I have
tried some so called
leak stoppers to no avail.
I was wondering if I took a propane torch and burned all the crud off
and
then polished with a wire brush and then some acid flux and solder if
it may
work Any ideas? I am assuming the eavestroughs are galvanized so I am
not
sure if it would stick or not. Failing that - any ideas on a repair
technique?


You need to etch off the zinc with some acid first. Then your solder
will stick. Tom

According to tom :
Ebeneezer wrote: I have several holes in my metal eavestrough. I have
tried some so called
leak stoppers to no avail.
I was wondering if I took a propane torch and burned all the crud off
and
then polished with a wire brush and then some acid flux and solder if
it may
work Any ideas? I am assuming the eavestroughs are galvanized so I am
not
sure if it would stick or not. Failing that - any ideas on a repair
technique?

You need to etch off the zinc with some acid first. Then your solder
will stick. Tom

T'other way around. Zinc solders quite nicely. Steel does not (or
at least not with plumbing solder). The issue is whether you can clean
the zinc coating well enough to solder to without scratching off so much
zinc you can't get a full seal.

In the end, it probably won't work at all that well.

If I had some holes in galvanized eavestroughing I had to patch, I'd
be more inclined to use epoxy or bondo over some sort of mesh.
--
Chris Lewis, Una confibula non set est
It's not just anyone who gets a Starship Cruiser class named after them.

I wonder if something like JBWeld would work or whether I'd have the same
non-sticking issue?

Seems a shame (no make that incomprehensible) that there is not some way to
patch an eavestrough.... we need to bring the entire intellect of the known
world to bear on this issue....(please..LOL)

"Chris Lewis" wrote in message
...
According to tom :
Ebeneezer wrote: I have several holes in my metal eavestrough. I have
tried some so called
leak stoppers to no avail.
I was wondering if I took a propane torch and burned all the crud off
and
then polished with a wire brush and then some acid flux and solder if
it may
work Any ideas? I am assuming the eavestroughs are galvanized so I am
not
sure if it would stick or not. Failing that - any ideas on a repair
technique?

You need to etch off the zinc with some acid first. Then your solder
will stick. Tom

T'other way around. Zinc solders quite nicely. Steel does not (or
at least not with plumbing solder). The issue is whether you can clean
the zinc coating well enough to solder to without scratching off so much
zinc you can't get a full seal.

In the end, it probably won't work at all that well.

If I had some holes in galvanized eavestroughing I had to patch, I'd
be more inclined to use epoxy or bondo over some sort of mesh.
--
Chris Lewis, Una confibula non set est
It's not just anyone who gets a Starship Cruiser class named after them.

First I wrote: You need to etch off the zinc with some acid first.
Then your solder
will stick. Tom


Then Chris wrote: T'other way around. Zinc solders quite nicely.
Steel does not (or
at least not with plumbing solder). The issue is whether you can clean

the zinc coating well enough to solder to without scratching off so
much
zinc you can't get a full seal.


You're absolutely right. Thanks. Tom

Lowe's has some roof repair stuff. It has about 1/4 inch thick tar, with a
mylar backer. I used some on my mobile home, and it worked nicely. Had a
couple places on the roof which were dripping through. It also mentions that
you can use it for gutters repair. It comes in two widths, I think. 3 inch
and 6 inch. It's about $12 a roll for the wide stuff I bought.

For my application, it was worth every penny.

--

Christopher A. Young
Learn more about Jesus
www.lds.org
www.mormons.com


"Ebeneezer Geezer" wrote in message
.. .
I have several holes in my metal eavestrough. I have tried some so called
leak stoppers to no avail.

I was wondering if I took a propane torch and burned all the crud off and
then polished with a wire brush and then some acid flux and solder if it may
work Any ideas? I am assuming the eavestroughs are galvanized so I am not
sure if it would stick or not. Failing that - any ideas on a repair
technique?

Aside from these 2 or 3 holes, they are fine everywhere else.

thanks

Tar and mylar tape... Lowe's. Oh, I forgot to mention, it needs to be warm
for the tar to stick. But, at least where I am, it's plenty warm these days.

--

Christopher A. Young
Learn more about Jesus
www.lds.org
www.mormons.com


"Ebeneezer Geezer" wrote in message news:G5xKe.8226

Seems a shame (no make that incomprehensible) that there is not some way to
patch an eavestrough.... we need to bring the entire intellect of the known
world to bear on this issue....(please..LOL)

According to Ebeneezer Geezer :
I wonder if something like JBWeld would work or whether I'd have the same
non-sticking issue?

Which "non-sticking" issue? My comment was regarding trying to solder
galvanized (or otherwise soft solderable) sheet metal to galvanized gutter.
In order to do that, you have to remove the paint from the gutter and
clean the galvanized sufficiently to be able to solder to it. It's my
belief that by the time you've cleaned it that well, you've scratched
off enough zinc that you'll have bare steel spots. The solder will still stick
(to the remnants of the zinc), but there will be so much bare steel (where
the solder won't stick) that you won't get a waterproof patch. Besides, the steel
will now rust.

You could silver solder/braze a patch, but, frankly, I doubt that
many people could accomplish a satisfactory patch that way ...

Seems a shame (no make that incomprehensible) that there is not some way to
patch an eavestrough.... we need to bring the entire intellect of the known
world to bear on this issue....(please..LOL)

I'm certain that epoxy, bondo or JBWeld can do it. Clean it thoroughly, avoid
coarse abrasives (so you don't expose bare steel if you can help it), and make sure that
all bare metal is covered by the glue. To "span" the hole (support the epoxy
over the hole), you could use some aluminum sheet or even window screen scraps.

It's better if the glue is moderately thick, or it'll just run off (ie:
straight West Systems epoxy is almost water-thin). So you may need to use a
thickener if the glue is thin. Fine sawdust will "do" if you have nothing
better.

Commercially, gutter installers use some sort of asphalt-like caulk (to seal
joints). Even ordinary (preferably silicone) caulk would work if the holes
were small and it had time to cure properly.
--
Chris Lewis, Una confibula non set est
It's not just anyone who gets a Starship Cruiser class named after them.

That sounds worth a try - only problem is, I am in the great white north and
I do not believe we have Lowe's here. Would there be something else on the
product (like a more specific name) that maybe I could look for at Home
Depot or similar places that we do have here in Canuckville?

thanks.

"Stormin Mormon" wrote in message
...
Lowe's has some roof repair stuff. It has about 1/4 inch thick tar, with a
mylar backer. I used some on my mobile home, and it worked nicely. Had a
couple places on the roof which were dripping through. It also mentions
that
you can use it for gutters repair. It comes in two widths, I think. 3 inch
and 6 inch. It's about $12 a roll for the wide stuff I bought.

For my application, it was worth every penny.

--

Christopher A. Young
Learn more about Jesus
www.lds.org
www.mormons.com


"Ebeneezer Geezer" wrote in message
.. .
I have several holes in my metal eavestrough. I have tried some so called
leak stoppers to no avail.

I was wondering if I took a propane torch and burned all the crud off and
then polished with a wire brush and then some acid flux and solder if it
may
work Any ideas? I am assuming the eavestroughs are galvanized so I am not
sure if it would stick or not. Failing that - any ideas on a repair
technique?

Aside from these 2 or 3 holes, they are fine everywhere else.

thanks

"Ebeneezer Geezer" wrote in message
.. .
: That sounds worth a try - only problem is, I am in the great
white north and
: I do not believe we have Lowe's here. Would there be something
else on the
: product (like a more specific name) that maybe I could look for
at Home
: Depot or similar places that we do have here in Canuckville?
:
: thanks.
:
: "Stormin Mormon" wrote in
message
: ...
: Lowe's has some roof repair stuff. It has about 1/4 inch
thick tar, with a
: mylar backer. I used some on my mobile home, and it worked
nicely. Had a
: couple places on the roof which were dripping through. It
also mentions
: that
: you can use it for gutters repair. It comes in two widths, I
think. 3 inch
: and 6 inch. It's about $12 a roll for the wide stuff I
bought.
:
: For my application, it was worth every penny.
:
: --
:
: Christopher A. Young
: Learn more about Jesus
: www.lds.org
: www.mormons.com
:
:
: "Ebeneezer Geezer" wrote in message
: .. .
: I have several holes in my metal eavestrough. I have tried
some so called
: leak stoppers to no avail.
:
: I was wondering if I took a propane torch and burned all the
crud off and
: then polished with a wire brush and then some acid flux and
solder if it
: may
: work Any ideas? I am assuming the eavestroughs are galvanized
so I am not
: sure if it would stick or not. Failing that - any ideas on a
repair
: technique?
:
: Aside from these 2 or 3 holes, they are fine everywhere else.
:
: thanks
:
:
:
:
:
If you're around the 416, there's both a Lowes and a Home Depot
abt 50 miles south of the border in Watertown NY.

I have a home depot down the street, but what do I ask for? Do we have a
brand name?

thx
"Pop" wrote in message
...

"Ebeneezer Geezer" wrote in message
.. .
: That sounds worth a try - only problem is, I am in the great
white north and
: I do not believe we have Lowe's here. Would there be something
else on the
: product (like a more specific name) that maybe I could look for
at Home
: Depot or similar places that we do have here in Canuckville?
:
: thanks.
:
: "Stormin Mormon" wrote in
message
: ...
: Lowe's has some roof repair stuff. It has about 1/4 inch
thick tar, with a
: mylar backer. I used some on my mobile home, and it worked
nicely. Had a
: couple places on the roof which were dripping through. It
also mentions
: that
: you can use it for gutters repair. It comes in two widths, I
think. 3 inch
: and 6 inch. It's about $12 a roll for the wide stuff I
bought.
:
: For my application, it was worth every penny.
:
: --
:
: Christopher A. Young
: Learn more about Jesus
: www.lds.org
: www.mormons.com
:
:
: "Ebeneezer Geezer" wrote in message
: .. .
: I have several holes in my metal eavestrough. I have tried
some so called
: leak stoppers to no avail.
:
: I was wondering if I took a propane torch and burned all the
crud off and
: then polished with a wire brush and then some acid flux and
solder if it
: may
: work Any ideas? I am assuming the eavestroughs are galvanized
so I am not
: sure if it would stick or not. Failing that - any ideas on a
repair
: technique?
:
: Aside from these 2 or 3 holes, they are fine everywhere else.
:
: thanks
:
:
:
:
:
If you're around the 416, there's both a Lowes and a Home Depot
abt 50 miles south of the border in Watertown NY.