Rainwater down the backside of the gutters.

[mike]

Rainwater down the backside of the gutters.

I have a hip roof with two layers of composition shingle roofing. The last layer and the continuous aluminum gutters are 15 years old.

I have rainwater dripping down the backside of the gutter along a section about 15 feet long.

I'm afraid to pull up too far on the old shingles, but it appears that the lip along the backside of the gutter that sits on the roof is raised up about a quarter inch. Assume they did that to level the gutters...but who knows. Anyway, over the years the shingles have sagged so there's a valley in the roofing that collects standing water. I'm thinking it seeps between the gaps in the shingles and ends up on the wood roof and drips down behind the gutter.

What are my options for fixing this?

The proper fix would be to remove the gutter and bend the metal so it sits properly on the roof. But it's an inside corner and I can't see how to get it apart...and back together so it doesn't leak.

I could trowel tar in the valley so the slope is monotonic and there's no place for water to collect. Not sure what other problems that would cause.

I could lower the gutter so it sits on the roof. I'm assuming the shingles would straighten themselves out without cracking??

Suggestions? Thanks, mike

[dpb]

...

If it is just what you've surmised and not another failure higher letting water run down the deck under the shingles, for a fix until re-roofing I'd slide some flashing under the shingles and over the edge of the gutter.

--

[Joe]

If you have any competent roofers in your community, contact them for a recommendation and an estimate. Odds are you are facing a complete tear off and reroofing job. Much improvement in roofing systems has happened in the time since yours was done. You may be missing ice/ water barriers and other newer materials now common. At that time, a better gutter system can be installed and water will be channeled where it should be. Fussing with shingles as old as yours may not have a good result.

Joe

[aemeijers]

Are you sure the drip edge and the gutter are a single piece? I've never seen that before. I have a similar problem, because idiot previous owner wrapped the fascia board, aka gutterboard, but they used stock too narrow to cover all the way up to the drip edge, behind the gutter. So at the low spots in the gutter runs, when gutters overflow in heavy rain or when the too-small downspouts clog with leaves, the wrap around the gutter board fills with water. I have one whole section that is pretty rotted, but it is hidden, so I haven't gotten around to replacing it. I'm not a fan of wrapped trim, this is a major reason why.

But anyway, with a double-layer 15 YO roof, you are looking at replacing within five years or so anyway. With known water leaks, you will definitely want a total tear-off and deck inspection. (IMHO, tear-off every time is the only correct way to re-roof.) Sounds like you may need to bump up that schedule and replace early. As crappy as construction is doing right now, you may be able to get a decent price, and just get it over with. With a bare deck, they can fix any low spots, and apply the flashing, ice dam, and drip edge properly.

[DerbyDad03]

When I had my roof replaced (too many) years ago, the water began to drip down behind the gutters.

The roofer came back and bent pieces of white aluminum flashing at an almost right angle and slipped it under the first layer of shingles so that it hung down into the gutter. He snipped a notch out at every gutter spike so that it would hang down flat against the back of the gutter.

The only problem I have ever had with this setup is that wherever one piece of flashing overlaps another there's a sharp corner which invariably catches the back of my hand when I'm cleaning the gutters. I keep meaning to round off the corners but have just never gotten A Round Tuit.

[Jon Danniken]

Get on the roof with a leaf blower to clean out the gutters. Leaves more cleanup on the ground, but it's easier and gets the gutters cleaner.

Jon

[aemeijers]

That's how I do it. Continuous-form aluminum, so they are nice and slick inside, and I can do the whole house in about ten minutes. Trick is finding that one dry sunny day (or hour) between the leaves finishing falling, and the wet and freezing weather starting. Still wanna find previous owner and beat on him for reusing the old too-small downspouts with the screw points sticking out on the inside, though. Been meaning to get those replaced since I bought the place- nothing like running out in the rain with a step ladder and reaching WAY up there to unclog downspouts, to keep the gutter from overflowing and ponding against foundation, and leaking into the basement.