Gutter Slope Adjustment

Home centers sell a gutter apron in 10 ft.

Gutter slope adjustment.

Pull the gutter down about 3 quarters of an inch lower than it originally was. However for gutters to function correctly they require a slight slope called a pitch which causes rainwater to flow to the downspouts. If your gutters don t slope then you only need to adjust the hangers and lower them slightly where necessary to achieve the correct slope. Otherwise it s a sign that your rain gutter slope isn t sufficient and needs adjustment.

Pull down on the end of the gutter to create the proper pitch toward the downspout. If water is dripping behind your gutter it s probably because it was installed without any flashing over the back of the gutter. But in order for gutters to do their job properly they have to be kept in shape and free of clogs holes and sags. Drive one screw through the rear center of the gutter to hold it in place.

Luckily most common gutter problems are easy for homeowners to fix. How to fix a gutter slope. Gutters are designed to do one thing channel water away from the foundation and they re critical to protecting the structural integrity of your house. The gutter should have a quarter inch of slope per 10 feet.

Drive in one screw to hold the gutter in position. Next steps if your gutters don t pass the rain gutter slope test you ll need to have them realigned or possibly replaced as sometimes older gutters can t stand up to the pressure of being pried off your house and reattached. If gutters slope too severely they don t hold water and water could splash over the sides in heavy rain. The gutter slope also called the pitch is the amount the gutter tilts down to let rainwater flow out of it.

If gutters don t slope water gathers in them. A good guideline is that the pitch should cause a decrease somewhere between 1 to 2 inches over a 40 foot run. Once the gutter is properly pitched re install the gutter brackets. The gutter apron will prevent the dripping.

A gutter apron is a bent piece of flashing that tucks up under the shingles and over the gutter. The amount of collected water increases until it spills over the sides of the gutter. Measure from the roof edge at both ends of the gutter if you want to be sure. Since gutters settle as screws and brackets loosen it s a good idea to periodically check the pitch of the gutters and adjust them if needed.