Why Does Water Leak From Soffits Behind Gutters

If you don t relish the thought of regular gutter cleaning fit your gutters with gutter guards but beware of wide mesh guards that allow pine needles and smaller debris to pass through.

Why does water leak from soffits behind gutters.

Gutters are supposed to direct water away from your roof and into the ground. The water freezes again and then thaws out leaking through any seams or damage in the soffit because it cannot flow down the rain gutters. And it doesn t stop there. 1 drip edge is caught behind the gutter.

Because water does not flow down the gutters properly during the winter snow that begins to melt off the roof can freeze again and end up pushed against the soffit because the rain gutters are full. Without a proper slope to the gutter water will just stack up in the gutter and run over the edge if it gets too full looking like there is a roof problem. Before you go and spend your hard earned money on new replacement gutters make sure that it is in fact the gu. It seems to me that the problem is in the rain gutter which does not appear to have any slope to it.

A gutter apron is similar to a drip edge in that it fits under the shingles and protects the roof deck. However a gutter apron is different from a drip edge because it hangs over the gutters and then angles back toward the house. Before you worry too much about a new roof i would look at the gutters. Do you have water leaking behind your gutters.

When the roof shingles do not extend past the metal drip edge the water will suck back on the metal drip edge this is called capillary action and run behind your gutters. 2 inadequate shingle overhang 3 improper offset of the starter strip creating a seam that allows the water to travel behind the drip edge and fascia onto the soffit. The gutter apron prevents water from ever reaching the soffit by leading water straight into the gutters. If water runs through to the downspout without a hitch you ve solved the problem.

If the gutter is clogged some of that water will back up on the roof soaking it. Capillary action is a water activity in which water adheres to a surface and follow the surface. This can be frustrating and also creates a dangerous situation on porch steps during freez. Some of the water may leak behind the gutters down towards the soffit and the fascia.

For example most ranch style homes have a 3 12 or 4 12 pitch roof. Once gutters are clean use your garden hose to fill them up with water and watch for leaks. 4 the gutter is too low allowing the water access to the back of the gutter.