Gutter Water Going Behind

Eventually water pools behind the dam and works its way back up under the shingles and under the soffit until it finds an opening through the roof.

Gutter water going behind.

Gutters are supposed to direct water away from your roof and into the ground. 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. Water stains dirt debris and dripping water behind a gutter are usually the result of poorly installed or missing drip edge.

For example most ranch style homes have a 3 12 or 4 12 pitch roof. And it doesn t stop there. Have rain water dripping out from between your facia and gutters. Grab a ladder bucket heavy duty gloves and go the old fashioned route.

Some of the water may leak behind the gutters down towards the soffit and the fascia. The gutter apron will prevent the dripping. If the gutter is clogged some of that water will back up on the roof soaking it. Home centers sell a gutter apron in 10 ft.

A gutter apron is a bent piece of flashing that tucks up under the shingles and over the gutter. If you have a steeply pitched roof the water may be traveling so fast it splashed over. Once you ve cleaned out the mess always wash out the gutter and downspouts with a garden hose to flush out the remaining dirt. The solution begins with good flashing as this should stop leaks from rainfall and might stop the leaks from ice dams as well.

Most premade drip edge flashin. The other element is if the gutter is not installed behind the drip edge it creates an air gap between the top of the gutter and the bottom of the drip edge which allows a place for the water to go. 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.