Install the diverter
1 of 3
Photo 1: Loosen the tabs
Lift the shingle tabs
that are centered over
the porch stoop by
gently pushing the flat end
of a pry bar under each tab.
If the asphalt sealant holding
the courses of shingles
together won't release,
apply more force to the pry
bar by punching the back of
the bar using your palm or
tapping the bar lightly with
a hammer. Work in temperatures
of about 40 to 70
degrees F.
2 of 3
Photo 2: Slide the diverter in
Apply a 1/4-in. thick bead of clear
silicone caulk on the underside of
the drip edge, lift the shingle tabs
up slightly and slide the diverter under
the tabs. Slide one end of the diverter
tight to the bottom of the shingle tabs
and leave a 1-in. exposure at the other
end to create a drainage pitch.
3 of 3Photo 3: Caulk
Apply a dab of silicone caulk
to the vertical slots in the
shingle tabs above the diverter
to ensure that water doesn't seep
under the top edge of the metal.
If your house lacks gutters, rain that's
pouring off the roof will give you a
good soaking when you come and go. In
winter, melting snow creates a slip-and-fall
hazard when it drips and freezes on
porch stoops. Avoid those problems by
taking 25 minutes and using the techniques
shown in Photos 1 – 3 to install
a rain diverter.
Purchase metal D-style drip edge
(ordinarily used as roof edge flashing)
and install it upside down as a diverter.
Drip edge comes in 10-ft. lengths and is usually available in white,
brown and unpainted aluminum. Cut it
to length, equaling the width of your
stoop. Also buy a 10-oz. tube of clear silicone
caulk for use as an adhesive
and sealant.
Work carefully to break the bond
to release the shingle tabs (Photo 1).
Work from a stable ladder centered on
the doorway and release only those tabs
along the third course of shingles up
from the eave. To avoid breaking the
tabs on older, brittle shingles, lift them
only 2 to 3 in. On newer roofs where the
shingles are more pliable, fasten the
diverter in place using both silicone
(Photo 2) and roofing nails. Space the
nails every 2 ft. under the shingle tabs.
Caulk the nailheads with silicone.
