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Gutter Drip Edge Questions

16 years ago

Recent water marks on my ceiling around the perimeter of some rooms of my house led me up the ladder and to the internet. I cleared the gutters, but some of the patches seemed wet a couple of days later. It really hasn't been raining much.

The only thing that I can think of is that the drip edge is bad. I think I am using the correct term here-it is an L shaped piece that comes out from under the shingles and down into the gutter.

I have the old spike and sleeve method and the edge is cut in some places to fit around the sleeves. My question is: should this edge be sealed against the inside of the gutter? It seems like a very easy place for the water to creep in.

Perhaps this is just coincidence, but when I went up in the attic last night to look around, everything seemed pretty much ok. I noted the location of the plastic vents that I stapled between the ceiling joists (those things that help the air to flow up) and they seemed to be right around the places where the water damage was occurring. They weren't wet and the insulation wasn't wet either.

Sorry for the seemingly endless post. I'm a bit stressed about this and babbling.

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Comment (1)

kermieb
16 years ago
The way you have described the damage is a bit perplexing to me. Water damage to a ceiling typically won't come from the fascia (the wooden ban around the house to which the gutter is attached) unless there is no soffit (overhang) but by telling me you have vents, there must be....

The rafters (roof) sit on top of the exterior walls and extend typically one to two feet beyond which means they are LOWER than the interior ceiling. Leaking water at a drip edge or gutter overflow will cause extensive water damage at the fascia or soffit, not the interior of the house.

There's probably only one way to find the water source. Pull the insulation back where the problem seems to be most prominent, and go into the attic WHILE IT'S RAINING and trace the source.
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