# Flat roof gutters - put back of gutter behind membrane and drip edge?



## arttri (Jun 3, 2018)

I recently bought a '60s flat-roofed house that doesn't have any gutters. The roof is a white EPDM membrane. I'd like to install gutters to direct water runoff. The facia boards are only 4" high and the roof membrane and drip edge overlap onto 1.5" of that, so gutters below that would hang below the fascia. It seems to me that maybe I could just slip the back edge of the gutter behind the membrane and drip edge so that water runs directly into the gutters. So I would remove the drip edge that secures the membrane to the fascia, place the back of the gutter between the fascia and the membrane, and then reattach the drip edge with the gutters in place. Is this an okay idea? Or is there a better solution?

Here are some pictures with just a short piece attached so you can see how I'm thinking of doing the whole gutter. The drip edge would be screwed in every 8-10 inches just like it already is. The screws would just go through the back of the gutters before entering the facia. In the pictures below I haven't reattached the drip edge so all the layers are loose/separated, but they'd all be tightened down by the screws through the drip edge.


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## oldognewtrick (Jun 3, 2018)

That's not drip edge, it's termination bar. I wouldn't suggest removing all the screws in the termination bar to install the gutter. Slide the back edge up as far as it will go. I'd also suggest using 6" gutter instead of 5".


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## arttri (Jun 4, 2018)

Thanks for the reply, oldognewtrick. Is your suggestion not to remove the screws in the termination bar to install the gutters to avoid any problems by "unattaching" the roof membrane before it's all re-attached or because of some potential problem after everything is reassembled? I would re-insert all of the screws that hold the termination bar once the gutter's in place, not just leave the termination bar held in place by the gutter brackets. I was also thinking that, if I were to do it this way, I should put the roof membrane between the facia and the back of the gutter, an then the termination bar over the back of the gutter so the gutter brackets don't pull the membrane away from the fascia as seen in the picture. This would also prevent any backed up water from going up under the membrane.

But maybe it's just a bad idea to integrate it all and have the back of the gutter going behind the termination bar. Could you help me understand the problem with that. The reason I'm trying to make that work is because I think it would be a little bit of an eyesore to have the gutters hanging down below the fascia and I like how the bottom of the gutter lines up with the bottom of the fascia with the way I was thinking. But if it could cause problems, I'd rather do it right.

Thanks for your help.


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## oldognewtrick (Jun 5, 2018)

IF, you start messing with the termination bar, you may start another problem. The membrane may be under tension and shrink. The screws may be rusted an break.


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## Zach (May 29, 2019)

So in the original post it shows the termination bar in the gutter. Is this possible with existing gutters. I have a rolled asphalt roof with traditional drip edge. I want to replace with epdm. I don't like the drip edge on new rubber since you have to puncture and reseal the rubber. And I feel it is better to use the bar. So can it be done, what are the issues.


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## oldognewtrick (May 29, 2019)

Can it be done...yes. Is it the approved way of installation...no. Drip edge and EPDM cover tape is a much better edge detail.


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## Zach (May 29, 2019)

What are the issues with a term bar in their gutter? My gutter inside top edge is maybe an inch from top of soffit metal.


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## oldognewtrick (May 29, 2019)

Exposed fastners.


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## Zach (Jun 15, 2019)

Ok next question: Can I flash my transtion from flat to slope with metal flashing and adhere rubber on to that. In efforts to avoid messing with the ice and water barrier of exiting slope roof.


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