Why Water Gets Behind Gutter

Capillary action is a water activity in which water adheres to a surface and follow the surface.

Why water gets behind gutter.

Have rain water dripping out from between your facia and gutters. Some of the water may leak behind the gutters down towards the soffit and the fascia. This can be frustrating and also creates a dangerous situation on porch steps during freez. If water is dripping behind your gutter it s probably because it was installed without any flashing over the back of the gutter.

Being a manufacturer of roof edgings and an installer of gutters i know first hand it s not always possible to get the gutter behind the drip. 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. Some of the water may flow over the front of the trough and some of it may flow behind the trough. The gutter apron will prevent the dripping.

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. A gutter apron is similar to a drip edge in that it fits under the shingles and protects the roof deck. Home centers sell a gutter apron in 10 ft. Water gets behind the gutter.

Gutters are supposed to direct water away from your roof and into the ground. When siding is put back behind the gutter the lowest piece of flashing running down the pitch of the roof above must be fashioned to divert water into the gutter not behind the siding. However a gutter apron is different from a drip edge because it hangs over the gutters and then angles back toward the house. If the gutter is clogged some of that water will back up on the roof soaking it.

For example most ranch style homes have a 3 12 or 4 12 pitch roof. When the latter happens it can seep in between the back of the gutter and the roof or soffit and fascia. The gutter apron prevents water from ever reaching the soffit by leading water straight into the gutters.