Proper Gutter Installation
Your roofing and gutters must work hand in hand to keep your home safe. In order to do a proper gutter installation, there are a few things to consider. Gutter sizing is first. Ensure that you’re using the correct mounting techniques and appropriate pitch for the gutter to make sure the flow is correct with good spout quantity. It is important to have the right number of downspouts per section to handle the volume of water. Make sure that your downspouts are the correct size and diameter to handle the amount of water that you’re going to be dealing with.
Proper Roof Installation
The square footage of the roof must be taken into account. A proper starter course layout is needed to prevent roof water columns from leaking. Roof edge extensions should be at least one inch past the fascia boards and the roof pitch should be at least 3/12.
12 inches of run is preferred to allow for proper water drop into the gutter without a back flow occurring.
How Roofing and Gutters Work Together
Roofing and Gutters Prevent Water Leaks
Roofing is designed to keep the water from leaking into your home by carrying water out to the edge. When the water drops off the edge, the gutters or eavestroughs catch the water and carry it down the wall safely to the ground away from the home. This prevents any water leaks from getting through the roof, wall or foundation.
Roofing and Gutters Protect From Pest Invasion
Protecting from pest invasion is another way that gutters and roofing work together. Completely securing a roof and covering it with shingles can prevent pests from getting in. Sealing the edge between the gutter and the roofing with a drip edge or just with a tight fit can block potential invasions. You never want squirrels, bees, wasps and things of that nature invading the overhangs and roof area of a home.
Gutters and roofing actually improve the functionality of a home by carrying water in a more organized fashion away from the home. This keeps the water from just gushing off the roof and down onto the ground.
Increase Home Value
When your roof and gutters are working together it can increase the value of your home. Wall protection and visual aesthetics of a good gutter system make the sell price of your home increase. Copper gutters with a good roof are optimal for home value because of their longevity.
Your gutter can only handle a certain volume of rain water. Making sure that your gutter size capacity is correct based on the surface area of the roof is very important. This is why gutters are 5 inches, 6 inches, or 7 inches. The style of gutter can change that capacity as well. Look up your gutter sizing and your roof area and make sure those are matching or you may have a faulty system.
How Roofing and Gutters Can Compromise Each Other
Gutter Capacity Problems
Your gutter can only handle a certain volume of rain water. Making sure that your gutter size capacity is correct based on the surface area of the roof is very important. This is why gutters are 5 inches, 6 inches, or 7 inches. The style of gutter can change that capacity as well. Look up your gutter sizing and your roof area and make sure those are matching or you may have a faulty system.
Gutter System Too Heavy
Another problem with roofing and gutters is how the gutters mount to the fascia board. If you have a heavy gutter system, you could have a problem if you use the wrong brackets, not enough brackets or a screw that is too small in diameter or in length.
Water weighs six pounds per gallon, and a six inch gutter can only hold two and a half gallons per linear foot. Your gutters can weigh hundreds of pounds within a matter of minutes when there is a rain storm. Your gutters will pull themselves down if you don’t have the correct mounting for the system.
Gutters Should be Pitched Toward Downspouts
The pitch should not be towards the downspouts and the mounted level should be a maximum of 1/4 inch per 10 foot. Fall toward the downspout is preferred, but level will work as well. Having gutters pitched away from a downspout can actually cause the water to build up and possibly pull down the system from being overloaded. Making sure that it’s pitched toward the spout is critical.
Gutters don’t turn corners very well. Use one downspout per section of gutter, even if they are connected in a corner. This will allow the water to flow through properly
Improper Roof Layout
An improper roof layout can cause leaking. A misaligned starter course in the first row of shingles can cause the water to leak directly down onto the fascia board. The water will then go directly behind the gutter and not into the gutter. It can appear to look like a gutter leak, but it is definitely an improper installation of the roof. This can be resolved by redoing the starter course on shingles or adding a wide drip edge that goes up and corrects the water column.
The roof edge on a shingle or roof should extend at least one inch past the fascia board. Preferably it would be an inch and a half. With one inch in a really low pitched roof, you can still see some water that will wick back.
Rainwater Running Uphill
Water can run uphill if there is enough volume. If this happens the water will backflow behind the gutter. Having a good extension of the roof edge of at least one inch will allow it to work properly.
Conclusion
Making sure roofing and gutters are both fully functional is absolutely vital. Failure to install one of these two components properly can cause catastrophic failure to both. It’s very important that you ensure that your roof is installed to the correct specifications and that your gutters are installed right. If so, they will work together to keep your home safe. Do your homework on all of these components to ensure that your roof and the gutters are working correctly..
