Logically it seems that they should go this way:

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(gutter coming down, and lip near house)
For simplicity's sake, the sketch above shows the splash sitting flat, but obviously it would follow the grade away from the house.

Many people, however, maintain that they should actually be placed with the lip at the far end, so the water spills over the entire edge more gently -- like this:

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obviously, you need to be sure to have a steep enough grade to avoid having water back up against the foundation in this case.

So which is it -- anyone have a definitive source for an answer?

thanks,

hans "tired of switchin' them around" weber