Eave Progress Report

I'm working to remove the existing gutters as a first step, in order to assess the fascia damage. Every corner seems to be rotted, There are 12 gutter runs, numbered as follows:

I have removed 8 gutter sides: 1, 2, 3, 5, 6, 7, 8, and 12. This leaves the 4 longest gutters: 4, 9, 10, and 11. The gutters are attached with a nail through a hanger every 24" and I have learned that prying out each nail brings the gutter down with minimal violence (3 and 5 were pretty dramatic, before I learned this.)

The corner at 8-9 requires some finesse. The Internet cable attaches to the fascia, so if I pull the fascia off, the wire will droop or fall. If I yank the nearly 40' gutter off, it might take the wire with it. So, I plan to cut the #9 gutter, leaving just the corner piece at #8-#9. Then I can bring the #9 crashing down.

Under the gutters, the corners--all 12 of them--have rotted fascia. I have repaired the fascia at the 1-2 corner and the 1-12 corner, but 2-3 and 11-12 corners are still to be done. 

The rotted corner at 1-12 after the fascia was removed

Removing the rotted fascia is the next phase after the gutters are off. This involves locating the 2x4 supporting the soffit and cutting down the middle so we can attach the old fascia and the new wood to the same 2x4. 

The front half-gable (wall #6) needs work because they embedded the gutter. I don't know what they were thinking.

The black square near the center of the photo shows where they embedded the gutter, interrupting the trim. I don't think I can patch that, and if the trim comes off, the siding goes, too.

The gutter was there when the half-gable was built? It's crazy.

How much new gutter do we want?

We can go all around the house, as before--it's a nice, consistent look. If we have no gutters, we'll have a waterfall at 5 doors. We can install diverters, but that's a hassle at re-roofing time and it doesn't protect the upper deck or the basement stairs. Maybe just gutters at the doors, the deck stairs, and the basement stairs. We could go minimal:

Or, we could just leave off the east and west sides, which have no doors. I call this the "rational" gutter plan:

All around is 257 linear feet of gutter. Rational saves about 60` (23%). I can go either way on the east wall, but I definitely don't want gutters at walls #2 and #6--they were nothing but trouble, and they're in someone's eye line from the breezeway stoop or the upper deck. Also, they went nuts trying to hide the downspouts, only to put one in next to the electric meter. Get it gone!

Progress photos

Wall #12. Cutting the gutters near the corners makes them easier to bring down.

The corner at 7-8 inspired the whole project--it's been getting progressively worse.

6, 7, and 8 removed. #5 still there, but not for long.

Nothing is level, but I'm proud of the roof trim. (This is primer only, by the way.)

Wall #5, at the garage doors, bows very obviously, but I think new, properly-sloped gutters will hide it. The house turns 77 next year--buyers will have to understand.