Water between gutter and fascia

[multidimeaire]

Water drips/gushes between the gutters and fascia.

Options:
1) Install a drip edge.  (As this is an existing roof, how would I attach the drip edge to the roof?  I don't want to risk damaging the roof to nail the drip edge.)
2) Use white aluminum tape between the gutters and fascia.  (This seems the easiest to install.)
3) Suggestions are welcome.

[deborah]

Check out why the water is taking this path. For instance:

- I had this problem and my gutters were not big enough to take big falls of rain - so some overflowed into the fascia

- Your downpipes may be choked - so the gutters fill and can overflow into the fascia
- Your house may have moved slightly, and your gutters no longer fall toward the downpipes, so the gutters can fill and overflow into the fascia
- Your gutters may have bent up, so they are overflowing into the fascia rather than over the edge into the garden.

Each of these problems potentially has a different solution. I am sure there are many others that I haven't mentioned.

[Thespoof]

It's called backflowing. See if these are any of the conditions that exist for you:

1. The gutters are loose or improperly installed too far out from the building eaves, or more likely, the gutters have become loose so that a gap has opened between the building fascia or wall top and the gutter back wall. When the loose gutter has moved far enough from the building fascia or wall top, roof runoff spills behind rather than into the gutter.

2. Clogged gutters may also cause backflow.

3. Sagging gutters may be a culprit caused by loose or lost gutter mounting hardware, improper or inadequate slope, or the weight of water or debris that cause the gutter to bend.

Poorly installed drip edge may also cause backflow but you indicated you didn't have a drip edge. Improper shingle length may also be a contributor to the problem.

[deborah]

I realised I didn't suggest ways to work out what is wrong:

1. Is it all the gutters or just one?
2. Go  to one that is having the problems.
3. Is it full or rubbish - leaves, other junk? Clean out the gutter - problem probably solved
4. Is there water in the gutter?
- if yes,  Is the water in the part where the downpipe is, or a puddle somewhere else in the gutter?
    - if the part where the downpipe is, it sounds like you have a blocked downpipe or blocked drains.
    - if somewhere else, is there rubbish (leaves...) on the downpipe side of the puddle - if yes clean these out.
       - if the puddle is still there, your gutter fall probably needs adjusting, so the water goes down the downpipe.
5. Put a hose down the downpipe and fill it with water. If it fills, you have a blocked downpipe or blocked drains.
6. Isolate a section of the gutter where the problem is (put damp towels at each end of this section so it holds water) - the smaller the better. Fill this section of gutter. Which side does the water go over - the house side or the garden side? If it is the house side, your gutter needs to slant slightly out, so it goes on the garden side.

[Greg]

Everyone's got good ideas for you to try.  It's hard to diagnose problems over the web, but it would help to know what kind of roofing, how much roofing overhang, what kind of gutter, etc.  Can you access the problem area via ladder or window?

If you have asphalt roofing and the weather isn't cold, you can usually gently pry it up at the lower edge to see what's wrong (not enough overhang, not enough shingle) and even install drip edge.  The drip edge should tuck under the roofing and over the back edge of the gutter.  Measure to make sure you get drip that will reach.

Usually comp roofing has a generous overhand of 1-2" that droops over time right into the gutter.  If your roofing doesn't do this, a drip edge may help but it's not a guarantee.  There may be another problem as suggested by the others.

[multidimeaire]

Thank you for the prompt replies.
I took some pictures.  All the gutters have the same problem.
Let me know if more/different pictures would be helpful.
How much should the shingles overhang the gutters?
There are foam gutter guards that I installed.  The same problem occurred with the old screen type gutter guards.
The gutters are clean from debris.

When it rains, water shoots out the downspouts so a clog does not seem to be a problem. 
(Not sure how to test the flow as a garden hose doesn't provide enough volume.)

Looking at a wide view the gutters don't appear to be sagging and are slopped towards the downspouts.

Your help is greatly appreciated.

[Greg]

In the close up pic you can see that the back of your gutters doesn't tuck under the white drip edge on the roof.  This is the main problem, but I can't help but wonder if the gutter guards also contribute.  In a heavy rain, the water coming off the roof might "pile up" on top of the foam.

But the solution is either re-hang the gutters higher up so they tuck under the drip edge, or install some sort of additional flashing that tucks under the drip and overlaps on top of the back edge of the gutter.

[multidimeaire]

Greg,


I am pretty sure there isn't a drip edge, that is the fascia in the picture.
Would you install a drip edge or would the aluminum tape work?  (more than 4 years).

Are the rusty nails a concern?  How should this have been done?

[Greg]

The edge next to your thumb looks like the end of a drip edge, but pics can be hard to make out.  If it were me, I'd install drip edge the overlaps the back of the gutter, or rehang the gutter (like if it was a short run) higher so it tucks under.  Aluminum tape might work for a short while, but it's always best to use gravity (which water follows) rather than any sealant (tape).