Do you Have a Gutter Leak?

7/6/2015

We are often asked to repair leaks that may appear to be coming from a gutter, but are in fact roof issues.

Gutters are generally the lowest point on a roof edge, so any water leaking from higher up the roof, will travel down to the lowest point to drip. This can cause a leak to appear to be coming from the gutter, but it is really just following the gutter to a low spot before dripping off.

The most common area where we see this, is when a gutter butts into a wall. If the roofer installed sidewall flashing is not correctly located and sealed, water will leak between the gutter and siding or it can leak behind the siding and into the wall, creating a much larger problem.

Another clue that you may have a roof issue, instead of a gutter leak, is if water is leaking between the gutter and fascia board. Generally seamless gutters do not leak in the middle of the run, this is usually an indicator that water is not being correctly directed into the gutter by the drip flashing.

If water is pouring over the front edge of your gutter, the most likely cause is that you have a clog. Gutters are designed to be lower on the front edge than the back edge, so that if they do fill up with water, it will pour over the front and not back into the soffits.

These are a few indicators that, if familiar with them, can lead you to the source of your leak and the appropriate action to correct it.

7 Comments

Zequek Estrada link

6/3/2016 09:30:26 pm

Sometimes I think it's easy to forget about the gutter and focus only on the roof. But I've heard that it can be dangerous to the foundation to not take proper care of it. It's why I've been doing research and appreciate these indicators. I'll have to make sure that I do become familiar with them.

Suhail Abraham link

7/24/2017 12:51:04 pm

Gutter leak is a serious issue. Standing water can damage your roof. Therefore, you should repair it as soon as possible through reputable pros.

Liquid Roof Repair link

8/15/2017 02:03:10 am

Gutter leak is not as difficult as it was in the past days. Liquid Roof Repair is incredibly popular, due to the fact that it can be applied on most roofs without the need to take a roof off.

Derek Dewitt link

9/29/2017 09:17:31 pm

I had no idea that if water is leaking between the gutter and fascia board then there is likely a roof issue. I think I saw this happening last time it rained so we might have to find the source of the leak like you said. If we have trouble we'll try hiring a professional to take a look. Thanks for sharing!

Becca Holton link

11/6/2017 01:51:49 pm

It's nice to know that improperly installed sidewall flashing could cause a leak between the gutter and siding. I think that might be my problem. It doesn't sound like it could be my roof. I might just have an expert inspect it just in case.

Kayla link

1/8/2018 09:04:01 pm

I didn't know that gutters are the lowest point on a roof edge. Our gutters are leaking and no one at home knows how to repair it. My uncle suggested calling gutter repair services and shared this article with us. It says that is water is pouring over the front edge of the gutter, the most likely cause is that there is a clog.

hiltonp331 link

3/8/2018 05:01:06 am

Thanks for the blog it is really useful.

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Do you Have a Gutter Leak?

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