# Water behind facia from soffit



## JayRay (Jan 28, 2012)

Hi,

I have a few areas behind my gutter and actually behind my facia where water is coming out of the soffits. The only way water could get there is to be in the attic area so it is either wicking up behind the gutter and behind the facia (or an ice damn is forcing water back there) or the roof is just leaking. 

This first picture hopefully gives some perspective, this is looking up under the soffit, gutter along the facia, snow on the roof:










In the close ups you can see small icicles on the BACK side of the facia (these are looking straight up under the soffit from the porch):




















The is causing water to drip under my entry way and freeze on my porch. Should I attempt to get up in the attic to further investigate or just assume it is just a winter problem and not something to worry about? The house is new, I have only seen one other area of the house where water is dripping behind the gutters but it is on the front of the facia.

Thanks for any help.


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## joecaption (Nov 30, 2011)

Going to to get up there and make sure there is enough shingle overhang, there's a drip edge, gutters where installed under the drip edging, and if they installed Ice and Water Shield when they did the roof.


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## JayRay (Jan 28, 2012)

The shingle over hang looks good, I guess they probably didn't install Ice and Water Shield to prevent ice damns??

Edit: bottom two images rotated for some reason


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## Yodaman (Mar 9, 2015)

Looks to me like the gutter was hung in front of the drip edge or there is no drip edge.


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## Yodaman (Mar 9, 2015)

JayRay said:


> Hi,
> 
> The is causing water to drip under my entry way and freeze on my porch. Should I attempt to get up in the attic to further investigate or just assume it is just a winter problem and not something to worry about?
> Thanks for any help.


:surprise: What? If you value your home this needs to be investigated and corrected




JayRay said:


> The shingle over hang looks good, I guess they probably didn't install Ice and Water Shield to prevent ice damns??


Ice and water shield does not prevent ice dams, it prevents water from running thru you roof.

Insulation, ventilation and air sealing prevents ice dams.


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## Bud9051 (Nov 11, 2015)

Speaking of ventilation, that first picture didn't show and soffit vents. I would suggest you get into the attic and take a look at what is wet.

Bud


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## carpdad (Oct 11, 2010)

You have a ice dam. Ice on the leading edge (this edge can start with gutter or anywhere on the roof) and snow melting behind, forming a pond and both surface tension and gravity are against you. This is what always (100%) happens when pretty finish trumps flashing. You may have ice shield and drip edge but if they are just floating against each other, water will find ways behind/under them. Best shield is building the facia/soffit with 2x lumber that takes time to rot away. Next is multiple flashing. Tar paper over the rough frame that actually fold down over the eave, water proof finish (I used sheetmetal facia cover), then drip edge, then ice shield (clean adhesive contact) that overhangs or at least flush with drip edge then min 1" roofing overhang.


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## Bud9051 (Nov 11, 2015)

Just my opinion here, but from the pictures we are looking at I don't see an ice dam issue. The shingles we see are not an ice issue. What is under that snow we don't know. If we could get some more pictures from farther back so we can see the roof and drainage it would help.

But the lack of soffit venting, unless there is some elsewhere, is a definite source of frost in the attic.

One distinction between a leak from an ice dam and a leak from attic frost melting is the temperature at which they occur. Not a perfect rule, but the frost usually melts at above freezing temps where an ice dam will leak at below freezing. When it gets warm an ice dam will often find a path to drain, not always. But below freezing and the frost in the attic will remain frost.

Bud


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## SeniorSitizen (Sep 10, 2012)

The water is dammed under the sheet of ice and entering at the structure's building line. From that point is takes the easiest route as expected. What you don't see is the water that enters the walls. Provide a drainage area into the gutter which will relieve head pressure and the water intrusion will stop. 

Pictured is a dam that caused water to drip from the windows. After clearing a 3" wide path to relieve head pressure the dripping from the windows ceased before I could get down from the ladder. 

Insulation and air sealing may save on energy bills and is sure to change the timing via temperature at which water enters your building, especially if there is a foot of insulating snow above the layer of ice. 

Venting may cause frost in the attic, Grace water shield may work if the roof is covered 100 percent and the seal is 100 percent everywhere including roof jacks etc. but a roofer would be not very smart to make that water shield guarantee.


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