Why Is There Leaking Between My Gutter And The House

Clogs are one of the most common causes of leaky gutters.

Why is there leaking between my gutter and the house.

Gutter leaks usually start at rusty spots or seams that have opened up because of expansion and contraction. Loose gutters if your gutters are pulling away or falling off your home it may appear you have a leak. In most cases you ll notice the problem as soon as you get a close look in your gutters. Unless you regularly clean them out your gutters can quickly fill up with leaf litter and debris.

If the gutters are clogged it s possible that the water is overflowing the gutters and this is contributing to the leak. There are a few elements that come into play that cause water to run behind the gutter. Usually this is due to gutter fasteners rusting. Often the real issue is that the gutters aren t fastened tightly to the fascia.

When water drips between the fascia and the gutters the problem could be a compromised drip edge but it s also possible the gutters are overflowing. Water can t run off the roof and into the gutter so it runs between the gutter and the roof s edge. This problem is common with homes that have roofs that do not have much pitch to them. Water should run out the downspout and away from the house without filling the gutter.

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. Incorrectly sized poorly adjusted or shoddily fastened gutters can lead to excess space between the gutter and roof which will lead to water falling in between. For gutters to work properly they must be properly sloped toward the downspouts and the roof must have a drip edge that clears the sides of the gutters closest to the house. The first cause is when the roofing material is installed many roofers will not extend the roofing material past the roof edging or drip edge.

A new roof is a huge project and one that has to be carefully balanced with the rest of the fixtures in and around your home. Over time rain gutters often start to pull away from the roof allowing water to drip over the gutter sides or between the gutters and the walls. The gutters then direct the water to a downspout allowing the water to run down until it reaches the ground. For example most ranch style homes have a 3 12 or 4 12 pitch roof.

When properly installed gutters direct roof runoff into a downspout system and safely away from the house. If your gutter is still basically sound the easiest way to stop the leak is by covering the damaged area with roof and gutter repair tape available at home centers and hardware stores.