Gutters Pulling Away From the Fascia Board
Tools: sturdy ladder with a stand-off, drill/driver, screwdriver, spirit level, gloves · Materials: gutter hangers or hidden brackets, 75 mm exterior screws, gutter sealant
Steps
- Empty the gutter first; the weight of wet debris is often what pulled it loose.
- Push the gutter back against the fascia and check the fascia board with a screwdriver — if it is soft, stop: the board needs replacing before anything will hold.
- Remove the old spikes or brackets and fit hidden hangers every 60 cm, screwed into the rafter tails behind the fascia with exterior screws.
- Set the slope: about 1 cm of fall per 3 m toward the downspout, checked with a level and a hose.
- Reseal any seams disturbed by the movement.
Stop and call a pro if
- the fascia is rotten, or the roof is above one storey
- the gutter is bent or the seams have split along a long run
- you find the rafter tails themselves are soft
What a pro does that you can't
A gutter or roofing contractor replaces rotten fascia, re-hangs whole runs with the right fall, and installs new seamless gutter where the old one is beyond repair.
DIY cost: $15–40 for hangers and screws