
We have created this page to better help home owners determine
and understand the issues they may be having with their gutter
system.
GUTTERS ARE OVERFLOWING.
If during a normal rain your gutter system over flows… YOUR GUTTERS AND DOWNSPOUTS NEED TO BE CLEANED! There is no other explanation. It does not matter when the last time you cleaned your gutters, it only take a hand full of debris to impede the flow of water causing them to over flow.
WATER IS RUNNING BEHIND GUTTER SYSTEM.
If water is running behind your gutter there could be a couple of
reasons. The first thing you should check is to see if the gutters
are filled with debris and that the downspouts are not clogged.
(some gutter systems are designed with the back of the gutter
shorter than the front which if obstructed will spill over the back
instead of the front.) If the gutters and downspouts are clean the
next thing you will want to look at is the drip edge (the small metal
strip under the first course of shingles) The drip edge should not
be flat against the fascia board and should over hang the gutter by
at least an 1/2″. If the drip edge hangs over the proper distance
and it looks in good shape there could be a problem with your roof
in that area. If you have a relatively flat roof check the shingles TO
SEE IF THEY are cupped (usually the first and second courses are
affected) lift the shingles up carefully to look under them to see if
water is present if so some of the rain water is being diverted
under the shingles and finding it’s way under the drip edge and
could also be leaking behind the fascia board. If this is the case
you should have your roof repaired or replaced as soon as
possible to avoid costly water damage not only to the exterior of
your home but the interior as well.
GUTTERS APPEAR TO BE PULLING/TIPPING AWAY FROM THE FASCIA BOARD.
If your gutters appear to be pulling away or you see gutter spikes
sticking out odds are they are on their way to falling off.
There are a couple reasons why gutters come loose, one being
the type of fasteners used such as the spike and ferule method
with the spike being a large nail and a ferule being a tube used as
a spacer to keep the spike from being hammered in to far. This
method is out dated and not recommended because when the
spike is pounded in it sometimes splits the fascia board causing
not only immediate damage but also future damage from water
entering the soffit area. These large nails often come loose within
a year or two of installation and must be hammered back in every
so often to keep the gutters from falling off the house. (we offer a
repair package that will take care of this problem) Another reason
for gutters to become detached is the fascia board is rotten. If this
is the case the wood in question should be removed and replaced
with a primed/painted piece to match the existing.
THERE IS A LARGE GAP BETWEEN THE TOP OF THE GUTTER AND THE ROOF LINE AND THE GUTTER IS STILL ATTACHED TO THE FASCIA.
(Appears the gutter and fascia has dropped).
Previous wood replacement was not done by a professional and is
not installed properly causing it to be loose with a great chance
that it will with any weight from snow, ice or debris fall off the
house. Some times after a new roof has been installed especially if
sheathing has been replaced the fascia board is left hanging
YOUR GUTTERS LEAK AT THE SEAMS, CORNERS AND END CAPS HOURS AFTER THE RAIN STOPS. There could be a few reasons for lingering dripping. First your sealant could be in need of replacement or more than likely your gutters are holding water. Gutters hold water for three reasons, 1.) Gutters are clogged with debris. 2.) The pitch of your gutter system is off, meaning water is trapped in an area of the system that is lower than the nearest outlet. 3.) Condensation forming on the bottom of your gutter and dripping due to all of the above. Just like an ice cold drink in the summer your gutters will condensate when filled with cold water giving the appearance of leaking gutters even when there are no seams or holes in that area. |
