Check out some similar questions!

calvin12 · May 9, 2011, 01:36 PM

We just had a new roof put on our house and the gutters (installed long before we bought the house) were checked out and were fine so they were left alone. The roofer said the fascia is in good shape. I have noticed that the gutters have a heavy bead of caulk under them attaching them to the fascia. Some of this caulk is separating from the fascia. Should there even be caulk at the base of the gutter to the fascia? I can understand if there was caulk at the top of the gutter where it meets the fascia, but at the bottom would seem to be a water trap if any were to get back there. I don't know if there is any at the top of the gutter but if there is it must be damaged since there is pebbles from the tear off the old shingles coming out between the gutter and house where the caulk is separated, if I bang the gutter.

Dr1757 · May 9, 2011, 03:31 PM

Normally when gutters are installed there is never any caulk applied in between the gutters and the fascia. As you stated, it would be possible to trap water which would rot the fascia. You should consider removing the caulk if possible and repaint that area if you can get to it.

ballengerb1 · May 11, 2011, 08:06 PM

So was this an original roof being replaced and the original gutters? Roofs last 15-35 years so if you never had a problem before then maybe it is actually not a problem. I would never caulk behind/under the gutter but be cautious if you try to remove, could do more damage than its worth. If it ain't broke don't fix it.

calvin12 · May 12, 2011, 07:44 PM

It is the same gutters on the house and a new roof. The old roof was the original 1971 shingles and a maybe 15 year old second layer. I'm guessing the gutters went on with the last roof 15 or so years ago. Too sturdy for original in a subdivsion type house. I pulled off a few feet of caulk and it looks fine behind the gutter. Its coming off easily, I lot of it as separated from either the gutter or the fascia so its an easy pull to remove. I'll just need to repaint to make it look nice. I'll try to get a pic online this weekend.

ballengerb1 · May 12, 2011, 07:48 PM

OK thanks for the update.

rexxx · Nov 6, 2011, 03:58 PM

If the gutters did not leak and now they do- the problem is most likely the drip edge from the new roof.
The gutters have a hem of metal at the top. If the drip-edge is pressed directly against the fascia, the
Water will now hit the gutter's hem and leak behind. When installing drip edge to a roof, the roofer should
Hold his index finger between the fascia and bottom of drip edge (roughly 1/2 inch). This pushes the water away from the fascia and beyond gutter's hem, thus allowing the water to drop directly into gutter.

If you find the fascia is indeed too tight on fascia, a solution is too install strips of metal coil stock
(ten feet long by varying heights) undereath drip edge but resting on top of gutter brackets. Any "vinyl siding installer" can do this for a 2-3 hours work. You wouldn't want the roofer to strip back and relocate the drip edge. It would compromise the drip edge, the roofing, and the Ice and Water shield.