Do you need gutter wedges for angled fascia?
What angled fascia is
On some houses the rafter tails were cut square to the rafter rather than plumb, so the fascia board nailed to them leans with the roof pitch, usually with the top edge farther out than the bottom. Standard K-style gutters are made to hang against a vertical board. Mounted flat against a leaning one, the whole gutter rotates.
What a tilted gutter does
- The front lip drops, so water spills over the front long before the gutter is full.
- Hidden hangers no longer seat squarely and can pull loose.
- The gap behind the gutter grows, so water dripping off the drip edge can miss the gutter entirely.
How wedges are installed
Wedges made of aluminum, PVC or rot-resistant wood go behind the gutter at every hanger. On the common outward-leaning fascia, the thick end goes at the bottom so the gutter's back ends up plumb. Use screws long enough to pass through the wedge and fascia into the rafter tail, and recheck the gutter's slope toward the downspouts once everything is fastened.
Alternatives
- A continuous tapered strip ripped to the angle, which gives full support along the run.
- New plumb fascia installed over furring, a good choice if the old board is rotten anyway.
- Avoid strap hangers nailed under the shingles to solve the angle. They require lifting the roof edge and make reroofing harder.
Check that the drip edge still extends over the gutter once it is set plumb. See drip edge explained, roof anatomy explained and gutter sizing, seamless gutters and guards.