Built-in gutters, also known as hidden gutters, look tidy from the street, which is part of the problem. The trough is framed into the roof edge and lined with a rubber membrane, out of sight from the ground, so a failing seam can leak into your fascia and walls long before you notice. We repair hidden gutters for homes throughout Langley and the surrounding areas, from resealing a single seam to rebuilding drainage and restoring damaged fascia.
A hanging gutter shows its trouble through sagging and overflow. A built-in gutter, sometimes called a hidden or box gutter, is part of the roof structure and is lined with a continuous rubber membrane known as EPDM. Nothing about it announces a problem. By the time you see a stain on the soffit or paint lifting from the fascia, water has often been getting in for a while.
Since the gutter is built into the roof edge, escaping water goes into wood rather than onto the lawn. Fascia boards soften and framing stays damp, so a repair that would have been small turns into carpentry. A wet climate makes this worse, since a leaking seam gets tested by every storm.
Most hidden gutter leaks come from a short list of weak points.
The membrane is joined in sections, and each overlap is called a lap seam. Seams are the weakest part of the lining. Adhesive can let go, and the rubber can shrink and tug at the joint. Water sitting in a low spot soaks the seam from above, which speeds up both problems.
Water should leave the trough quickly through drains at the low points. When a drain is undersized or poorly placed, water lingers and the seams around it take the punishment. Patching a seam without addressing the drain only buys time.
Cap-flashing is the metal piece that caps the edge of the system and keeps water from slipping behind it, and it breaks down with age. Once it does, water reaches the fascia board behind the gutter, and the wood begins to soften.
A visit starts with working out where water is entering and why. From there, two things drive the work: seams get resealed properly, and drainage gets fixed so water doesn’t sit on them again.
Every EPDM lap seam we reseal goes through our three-stage resealing process, rather than a single pass of sealant over the surface. It’s the reason we can stand behind the work with a five-year warranty on all EPDM work and all resealing.
Where water has been pooling, we retrofit or enlarge the drains so it clears quickly. A larger, better-placed drain takes pressure off the seams and protects the repair.
Hidden gutter work covers more than seams. Here’s what we handle:
Jobs often involve more than one of these, which is why we assess the whole system before recommending any work.
Many companies steer clear of hidden gutters, and it’s where we’ve built our deepest expertise. Here’s what that looks like:
Hands-on focus on built-in gutters and fascia
Five-year warranty cover on EPDM and resealing work
No-cost inspections backed by a written report
Insured for liability and covered by WorkSafeBC (WCB)
Accredited by the Better Business Bureau
A team with over a decade of combined experience
Photos taken before and after each repair
If you suspect a problem but can’t see one, or you simply want to know the condition of a hidden gutter system you can’t inspect yourself, we’ll look it over and give you a written report at no cost. The report documents what we find, so you can decide on repairs with real information in hand.
From the ground, watch for paint that bubbles or peels on the fascia and for wood that looks darkened or feels soft.
Up on the roof, the signs are standing water in the trough long after rain has stopped and membrane that looks cracked or lifted at the seams. Either one is worth having checked before the next wet season.
A built-in gutter, also called a hidden or box gutter, is a trough framed into the edge of the roof and lined with EPDM rubber. Unlike a gutter that hangs from the fascia, it’s part of the roof structure, which is why leaks in a hidden gutter can damage the wood around it.
Often it can be repaired. Failing seams and poor drainage are usually fixable while the membrane is still sound. If the membrane has failed over a wide area, replacement may be the better choice, and an inspection will show which situation you have.
The five-year warranty on our EPDM and resealing work is one part of the answer. The bigger factor is fixing the cause of the leak, such as a drain that can’t keep up.
Yes. We repair damaged fascia boards and repaint them, so the roofline is sound and looks right again once the gutter work is done.
We assess your gutter system, paying close attention to the seams and drains, then send you a written report of what we find.
About RMJ Property Services: RMJ Property Services provides comprehensive gutter and exterior services—hidden gutters, gutter vacuuming, moss removal, etc.—to customers throughout Greater Vancouver, the Lower Mainland, and the Fraser Valley. All of our services are performed by our highly trained professionals who will put your needs first.
Copyright (C) RMJ Property Services 2022 | Website designed by FirstPage Marketing