how would you fix this gutter problem?

[reflex]

See photos at:

Our house is pretty old, built in the late 1800's. Over time, the back of the house (as well as our neighbors') has subsided a bit. Hasn't caused any foundation problems, but it does mean that in places water doesn't flow off the roof quite like it's supposed to anymore.

One problem is as shown in the photos linked to above. The built-in gutter doesn't work anymore, and the water pools in a corner of the roof (above the porch), flows over the side onto our deck, causing a bit of damage including allowing mold and moss to grow where it shouldn't.

How would you fix this?

I can see at least two ways:

1. Build a kind of dam using a plank of pressure-treated wood along the side of the roof, so that water is forced to once again run down the original gutter spout. I'd install the wood, cover it with tar paper and roofing compound, and we'd be good to go. Maybe instead of wood I'd use some sort of large vinyl drip edge or whatever, if I could find it. I'd try to install the wood in a way as to not pierce the roofing material already there, so leaks can't develop.

1. Install a new gutter alongside the edge of the porch overhang. I'd have to connect it to the main downspout (shown in the pics) or else install a new downspout somewhere close.

Advice and opinions? Much appreciated! Thank you!

[willshak]

on 10/8/2009 7:10 AM (ET) reflex wrote the following:

Install a new downspout where the water pools?

[dpb]

reflex wrote: ...

W/ all the pictures, there's nothing of the actual structure, only the top from which to evaluate actual situation fully.

The answer is to reestablish the slope; how is problematical w/o more details.

The one corner expedient would be to add a downspout at that end and let it drain both directions; not clear whether that's feasible or not.

[ransley]

Is that a pipe support because its sinking, so if it was jacked up it would drain. Is there other damage like pulling away from house. Many abandon old gutters like these because of leaks and rot.

[fftt]

Your detail / closeup photos are good but the overall situation needs on context.....you need to provide global photos shot from the "normal" human perspective. Bird's eye views are difficuult to undersand without having seen the "overall" picture.

cheers Bob

oriignal question.....based on limited input, add a douwnspout, But I'm guessing oyu have some rot / structural issues that of hand in hand with the gutter / drainage problem

[Master Betty]

Really hard to tell but it looks to me like some demolition and rebuilding is in order. If it's as old as you say you probably have a log of rot damage that needs to be removed. From what I can see I'd start over completely.

If you're trying to just get by until you can afford to do the job right maybe add some drain spouts.

I've got gutter problems too. We have very large live oaks that drop crap almost year round and I don't have any guards. I was thinking of using this but it's kind of expensive and I'm not sure if it's the answer.

[hrhofmann]

It looks like this sponge-like material would eventually clog also. I have the plastic material/cover that snaps onto the outer edge of the gutter and slightly under the bottom row of shingles and has 1/4 inch holes. It comes with or without a screening material on the underside. I have the kind without the screening and fine stuff does go through into the gutter, but a good rain storm washes all that sort of thing into the downspout and onto the grass. My neighbor has the cover material with the screening and it clogs up, so that is why I think the sponge-like material would eventually (like in 12 months) clog up.

[Master Betty]

It looks like this sponge-like material would eventually clog also. I have the plastic material/cover that snaps onto the outer edge of the gutter and slightly under the bottom row of shingles and has 1/4 inch holes. It comes with or without a screening material on the underside. I have the kind without the screening and fine stuff does go through into the gutter, but a good rain storm washes all that sort of thing into the downspout and onto the grass. My neighbor has the cover material with the screening and it clogs up, so that is why I think the sponge-like material would eventually (like in 12 months) clog up.

++++++++++

Yeah...that was my thought. We just got new singles and a bunch of the gravel is coming off too. I was just trying to take the easy way out. One of my gutters is pooling. Standard "puncture" gutters. Is there some trick to preventing? Seems unlikely since they are nailed into the trim. I think I need new gutters too.

[Phisherman]

...

Ya beat me to it. That's my answer too.

[C & E]

You certainly have more problems than a bit of subsidence and water pooling in the wrong place, reflex. If you look at photo ...121, you can see the rotten wood on the corner. But it goes deeper as evidenced by the way the corner post is crushing up into what looks to be a piece of aluminum, and quit a bit too. That's why the water collect in that corner. Since the porch roof is collapsing I'd look into that as well. At least as a temporary patch to get you through the winter.