TROUBLE SHOOTING

We have created this page to better help home owners determine 
and understand the issues they may be having with their gutter 
system.


GUTTERS ARE OVER FLOWING

If during a normal rain your gutter system over flows YOUR 
GUTTERS NEED TO BE CLEANED! There are no other explanation 
no matter when the last time you cleaned them, it only take a hand full 
of debris to impede the flow of water causing them to over flow.

WATER IS RUNNING BEHIND GUTTER SYSTEM.

If water is running behind your gutter there could be a couple of 
reasons. The first thing you should check is to see if the gutters 
are filled with debris and that the downspouts are not clogged. 
(some gutter systems are designed with the back of the gutter 
shorter than the front which if obstructed will spill over the back 
instead of the front.) If the gutters and downspouts are clean the 
next thing you will want to look at is the drip edge (the small metal 
strip under the first course of shingles) The drip edge should not 
be flat against the fascia board and should over hang the gutter by 
at least an 1/2". If the drip edge hangs over the proper distance 
and all looks in fine shape there could be a problem with your roof 
in that area. If you have a relatively flat roof check the shingles TO 
SEE IF THEY are cupped (usually the first and second courses are 
affected) lift the shingles up carefully to look under them to see if 
water is present if so some of the rain water is being diverted 
under the shingles and finding it's way under the drip edge and 
could also be leaking behind the fascia board. If this is the case 
you should have your roof repaired or replaced as soon as 
possible to avoid costly water damage not only to the exterior of 
your home but the interior as well.

GUTTERS ARE PULLING AWAY FROM FASCIA 
BOARD.

If your gutters appear to be pulling away or you see gutter spikes 
sticking out odds are they are on their way to falling off.
There are a couple reasons why gutters come loose, one being 
the type of fasteners used such as the spike and ferule method 
with the spike being a large nail and a ferule being a tube used as 
a spacer to keep the spike from being hammered in to far. This 
method is out dated and not recommended because when the 
spike is pounded in it sometimes splits the fascia board causing 
not only immediate damage but also future damage from water 
entering the soffit area. These large nails often come loose within 
a year or two of installation and must be hammered back in every 
so often to keep the gutters from falling off the house. (we offer a 
repair package that will take care of this problem) Another reason 
for gutters to become detached is the fascia board is rotten. If this 
is the case the wood in question should be removed and replaced 
with a primed/painted piece to match the existing.

THERE IS A LARGE GAP BETWEEN THE TOP OF THE 
GUTTER AND THE ROOF LINE.  
(Appears the gutter and fascia has dropped).

Previous wood replacement was not done by a professional and is 
not installed properly causing it to be loose with a great chance 
that it will with any weight from snow, ice or debris fall off the 
house. Some times after a new roof has been installed especially if 
sheathing has been replaced the fascia board is left hanging.