On a detached house, the gutters belong to one owner and drain one roof. On a row of attached or closely spaced houses in Newark, gutters often run continuously across several properties, downspouts are shared, and one owner's clogged section can flood a neighbor's wall. Gutters seem minor until water starts coming in at the top of a wall or around a window. This guide explains how gutters work on attached homes, what goes wrong, and how to get them handled without anyone climbing a ladder who shouldn't.
How It Usually Works
| Part | On attached and close-set homes |
|---|---|
| Gutters | Often one continuous run across two or more houses, or separate runs that meet at the property line |
| Downspouts | Frequently shared between neighbors, or placed at the property line |
| Scuppers and conductor heads | On flat roofs with parapets, water exits through openings in the parapet into a box and downspout |
| Discharge | Onto the sidewalk, a side alley, a neighbor's walkway or into an underground drain |
What Goes Wrong
- Clogs. Leaves, seeds and roofing granules pack into gutters and downspout openings.
- Sagging. Hangers rust or pull out of old fascia, so water pools in the low spot and spills.
- Separated joints. Seams between sections open and drip.
- Undersized downspouts. One downspout trying to drain two roofs in a heavy storm.
- Built-in gutters. On older houses, gutters hidden in the cornice crack and leak straight into the wall.
- Bad discharge. Downspouts that empty against the foundation or into a neighbor's yard.
Where the Water Ends Up
When a gutter overflows on an attached house, water runs down the front or back wall. It soaks into brick and mortar, gets behind siding and into window frames, and in winter freezes into ice dams at the eaves. Inside, owners see stains at the top of the wall, damp around windows, or water in the basement along the front wall. Many leaks blamed on the roof are actually gutter problems. More on how those leaks look: parapet walls and party walls.
Shared Gutters and Neighbors
Fixing one section of a shared gutter run without the neighbor's section doesn't always solve the problem. Water still backs up at the joint or overwhelms a shared downspout. It helps to:
- know where your gutter run begins and ends
- talk with the neighbor before work on a shared section or downspout
- agree on clearing schedules, especially before fall and winter
- tell the roofer which parts are shared
Who is responsible for a shared gutter or downspout depends on property lines and agreements between owners. The roofer can describe what needs doing; the owners decide who pays.
Keeping Gutters Working
- have gutters and downspouts cleared in late fall, after the leaves drop
- check after big storms for sagging, overflow or loose downspouts (from the ground)
- make sure downspouts discharge away from foundations
- ask about larger downspouts if one is draining more than one roof
- on older houses, have built-in gutters checked and relined if needed
Leave Ladder Work to Roofers
Gutter work means ladders, often over concrete, close to power lines and next to busy streets. Falls from ladders cause serious injuries every year. Watch from the ground, and let a roofer handle the cleaning and repairs.
Gutter Sizes and Materials
Most residential gutters are aluminum, in a standard or a larger size, with downspouts sized to match. Older houses may have galvanized steel, copper or built-in gutters. When one downspout has to carry water from two roofs, or a roof is large and steep, a larger gutter and downspout can keep up better in heavy rain. Copper is common on older and historic homes and lasts a long time. Ask the roofer what fits the building and the rest of the roof.
Questions
Can a clogged gutter cause a roof leak?
Yes. Water backs up under the first course of shingles, soaks the roof edge and fascia, and helps ice dams form. It can also run down the wall and come in around windows.
Should gutters be replaced with the roof?
Often, if they're old, sagging or the wrong size. Replacing them at the same time as the roof makes the edge details easier to get right.
Are gutter guards worth it?
They can reduce clogging under heavy trees. They still need occasional checking, and some types don't handle heavy rain well.
Around Newark
Shared gutters are part of life in Roseville, Kearny and on attached blocks across the Ironbound. Gutter and flashing work: gutters, flashing & chimneys.
Parapet Walls and Party Walls: Where Rowhouse Roofs Leak
The joints that cause most top-floor leaks on attached buildings.
Nor'easters, Ice Dams and Winter Roof Leaks
What winter does to roofs, and why the leak shows up in March.