Gutters

When was the last time you heard your brother-in-law say, ”My, what lovely gutters”? Not very likely is it? You see, more often than not, gutters are an unnoticed and underrated feature of most homes, and yet…

It’s useful to keep in mind that unwanted water is an enemy of your home. Without gutters, it can pour off the roof, seep into the basement through the foundation and cause major damage. Roof water run-off can also streak walls and over time, cause soil erosion to the adjacent lawn and flowerbeds or even become a breeding ground for mosquitoes and other undesirables.
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Recommendations
Types/characteristics
Installation
Accessories
Maintenance

Recommendations

The first thing you’ll need to decide is do you install the gutters yourself or do you enlist the services of a specialized contractor. If you choose the latter, before signing on the dotted line get references, shop around, ask questions and compare guarantees. Simple jobs can cost hundreds of dollars and more complex jobs can go into the thousands.

Next, before going to the store or to a contractor, measure the house, determine the number and location of downspouts and check the overall set-up, i.e., is the fascia in good condition? Are the shingles at the roof edge damaged or worn? Are the soffits intact and circulating sub-roof air as per their design, etc.? Because once the gutters are installed, replacement or repairs to the above-mentioned items can become much more difficult and/or costly.

Finally, remember that once the water has run off the roof, along the gutters and through the downspouts, it still must go somewhere. Letting it seep into the ground from the downspouts at the very edge of the house may defeat the purpose of the exercise, so be aware that you may have to dig shallow, underground drains, or install downspout diverters or bank the ground around the house to direct the water away from the foundation. If in doubt, discuss these alternatives with an expert who can provide sound advice and is knowledgeable of local building codes and practices.

Types/characteristics

A long time ago gutters were made of wood and these systems are still available, mainly for installation on heritage type homes. Fortunately, copper, galvanized steel, aluminium and vinyl (PVC) have come to the rescue and now, aluminium and vinyl make up the lion’s share of installations in the residential housing market.

Vinyl gutters (PVC)

Vinyl gutters are weather resistant, scratch resistant, corrosion-free, colourfast and designed to resist ice damage. They don’t need painting, although they can be painted with a good quality latex paint. Of course, once painted periodic repainting can become necessary. While white remains the colour of choice, manufacturers are now producing vinyl gutters in numerous other colours and styles.

For most homes, the residential industry standard is “K” style, five inches width, although you may need to use wider models (6-inches for example) according to the pitch and area of your roof. Vinyl gutter sections most always come in ten feet sections.
Be it vinyl or aluminium, if you decide to go ahead with your own installation, remember that you’ll need a whole list of secondary items to complete the job, a partial list is as follows: box mitres, end caps, joiners, hangers, drop outlets, downpipes, elbows, spikes, ferrules, diverters and sealants.

Finally, remember that vinyl expands and contracts under the influence of hot and cold temperatures. This phenomenon must be taken into account at installation time, otherwise the gutters can subsequently buckle, causing leakage from the joints. So be careful to allow for expansion by making sure to leave small gaps when screwing or nailing the gutters into the fascia.

Aluminium gutters

Aluminium gutters are basically identical in shape and style to their vinyl counterparts and are, as with vinyl, also subject to expansion and contraction. They’re also weather resistant, scratch resistant, corrosion-free, colourfast and designed to resist ice damage. The main difference is that they’re lighter, more robust, but also more expensive. They also come in a variety of shapes and styles. Aluminium gutter sections usually come in ten and twenty feet sections.
One characteristic that sets aluminium apart from vinyl is seamless gutters. This type of installation can only be done by a specially equipped contractor, using a portable forming machine that produces long, single pieces of any length. The advantage of this system is that the gutters don’t need joiners, so there’s little chance of leaks developing from old, dried or poorly installed sealant.

Steel gutters

Steel gutters are galvanized i.e., protected from corrosion by an electroplating process that covers them with zinc or a zinc alloy. Some are painted with a baked enamel coat or a modified silicone polyester, but they’re also sold unpainted so, although rust-resistant, these must be painted periodically to lengthen their lifespan. Steel gutters are stronger than aluminium or vinyl, can handle heavier loads, and are more dent-resistant and less sensitive to temperature caused expansion and contraction. They’re sold in ten-foot lengths for the do-it-your-selfer but now, are also sold in continuous, seamless lengths that can only be installed by a professional.

Copper gutters

Copper gutters are virtually maintenance free, as copper does not corrode. Over time, about fifteen years, the colour gradually changes from lighter to darker and darker browns, to finally finish as the green surface patina that gives copper its distinctive appearance.

Up till now, because the joints had to be soldered, copper gutters could only be installed by professionals and the soldered joints had to be inspected periodically to check for leaks. However, there are now interlocking lengths that don’t need solder. Which does not necessarily mean that copper gutter installation is a do-it-your-selfer job, as specialized tools and knowledge are still required. Also, mistakes can be expensive as copper costs about five times more than any other type.

Installation

The following is a small sample of general information, for step-by-step information please refer to “Installing a PVC gutter” on this website.

Start with a safe, solid installation. A ladder is good, but scaffolding, although more cumbersome, is better, particularly if the home is two stories high. Keep an eye out for electrical wires when moving ladders and scaffolding around the job site. Remember that installing gutters is usually a “two-man” (or “two-women” or “a-man-and-a-woman”, anyway you get the point) job. Manipulating ten or twenty foot lengths alone, precariously perched on the top of a ladder, is not particularly safe nor practical, so your brother-in-law may be of some use after all.

Some of the tools that you’ll need are hammers, tin snips (for aluminium), screwdrivers, a drill, a hacksaw, a chalk line, a plumb line, a measuring tape, a file and a sealant gun

To assure efficient water flow, the gutter must be placed angled down towards the downspout by at least 1/8 inch or more (some manufacturers recommend ¼ inch), for every 10 feet of length.
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