A sagging gutter is usually one that has lost hanger support, so the first check is hanger spacing against the maker's printed figure, and the next is whether the wood behind the hangers is sound; re-hanging is gutter repair, rotted fascia is carpentry.
Why does a gutter sag?
The installation sheets point to three checks: how far apart the hangers are, the wood the hangers screw into, and the ice and snow the run must carry. Amerimax's installation sheet tells installers to inspect the fascia board and replace it if needed. Berger, a copper gutter maker, says that when the fascia board is under 2 inches thick, the hanger fasteners must go into the rafter ends.
How far apart should gutter hangers be?
It depends on the maker, and the makers differ.
| Source | Spacing | Snow or ice |
|---|---|---|
| Amerimax, metal gutter systems | One hanger every 24 in. | Every 18 in. in heavy ice and snow areas |
| Berger Euracraft, copper | Maximum 24 inches on center | 18 inches where ice and snow last long |
| Berger, older sizing sheet (7/07) | Maximum 36 inches on center | 18 inches where ice and snow last long |
Take the figure from the sheet for your gutter, and when in doubt use the tighter one. Amerimax lists hidden hangers among its hanger types and gives one spacing for hangers; it gives no separate number for hidden hangers. Amerimax also slopes the string line about 1/4 inch for every 10 feet of gutter toward the downspout, so a 20-foot run drops about 1/2 inch end to end.
Re-hang, replace a section, or fix the fascia?
| What you see | Work | Sold here? |
|---|---|---|
| Gutter dips between hangers, wood is solid | Re-hang or add hangers to the maker's spacing | Yes, sagging or loose |
| Gutter pulls away, screws spin loose | Refasten into sound wood or rafter ends | Yes, if the wood holds |
| One section is dented, bent or rusted | Replace that section | Yes, damaged section |
| Fascia is soft, split or rotted | Replace the wood, then re-hang | No, carpentry |
| Roof edge or shingles are damaged | Roof repair | No, roof work |
A worked example
Hypothetical: a 20-foot run has six hangers, so they sit near 40 inches apart. That is wider than the 24 inches in the Amerimax sheet. A screwdriver tip does not sink into the fascia. Adding hangers to the sheet's spacing and re-pitching the run is gutter repair. If the tip sinks in, the wood needs carpentry first. A person looks for a provider and confirms the scope in writing. For the line between repair and cleaning, see gutter cleaning versus gutter repair.
Scope and limits
Re-hanging a run and replacing a damaged section fit a repair request, and a person prices them; replacing fascia does not. See gutter repair requests and what gutter cleaning includes. Hanger spacing figures are makers' recommendations, not a code.
Get my price
Start a gutter repair request tick "Sagging or pulling away from the house", and say how long the sagging run is. A person confirms the provider, scope and price in writing before payment.
Any US ZIP. No contact details until you have seen the estimate.
Sources
- Amerimax, "Installing Metal Gutter Systems," https://images.thdstatic.com/catalog/pdfImages/0d/0dfd7e65-3be7-4964-b59f-b2ef635d4ca8.pdf, verified 2026-11-10.
- Berger, "Euracraft Copper Gutter System Installation Information," Rev A 10-4-07, https://bergerbp.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/07/euracraftcopperguttersystem.pdf, verified 2026-11-10.
- Berger, "Proper Gutter and Downspout Sizing," Page A3 7/07, https://bergerbp.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/07/propergutterdownspoutsizing.pdf, verified 2026-11-10.