Q. The nails that hold the gutter on my house are pulling away from the fascia. What’s the easiest way to fix this?
A. The nails that hold the gutter to the house are called gutter spikes. Over time the spikes can work themselves loose, usually because they split the wood when they were installed and were not sealed to prevent moisture from penetrating and swelling the wood of the fascia. The best fix is called a gutter screw. these screws are sized to be used in the same holes as the spikes, but the threads provide a stronger hold to the fascia, making the swap pretty simple. Be sure to use the rigid bracket that comes with the screw, which prevents overdriving the screw and crushing the gutter.
(Courtesy Brad Staggs, author of the new book, Spend-A-Little, Save-A-Lot Home Improvements. Purchase the book at www.bradstaggs.com)
