How do you fix gutters pulling away from the house?
Short answer. Find the cause first: most gutters pull away because old spikes have worked loose, the fascia behind them has rotted, or debris and standing water made them too heavy. Loose spikes can be replaced with hidden hangers screwed through the fascia into the rafter tails, but rotted fascia has to be replaced before any hanger will hold.
Diagnose before you fix
- Look for spikes backing out. Older gutters hung with long spikes and ferrules loosen as the wood shrinks and swells.
- Probe the fascia. Press a screwdriver into the board near the gap. If it sinks in, the wood is rotted.
- Check for weight. Standing water, packed leaves or a ladder leaned against the gutter can bend hangers.
- Look above the gutter. If the roof has no drip edge, water has likely been running down the fascia for years, which is how the rot started.
Rehanging on sound fascia
- Clear the gutter so it is light and easy to handle.
- Pull the loose spikes.
- Install hidden hangers, commonly about every 2 feet, with screws long enough to reach the rafter tails where possible.
- Reset the slope toward the downspouts, checking with a level or string line.
- Reseal any joints that opened while the gutter sagged.
When the fascia is rotten
Take the gutter down, cut out the bad wood, install new fascia, then prime and paint it or wrap it in aluminum before rehanging. Screwing new hangers into rotten wood only buys a few months. If the gutters are old sectional runs that leak at every joint, this is often the moment to replace them.
Prevent it from happening again
Keep the gutters clear, never lean a ladder on them, and make sure drip edge laps over the gutter's back. See drip edge explained and gutter sizing, seamless gutters and guards.