Gutter material choices

• Plastic gutter-Poor, due to fading and excessive expansion/contraction
• Copper gutter- Great, except for cost
• Steel gutter- Good, but suseptable to rust through in the long run
• Aluminum gutter- Best for long term durability and cost

Labels: Gutter material choices

If you want leaf protection for your gutter;

• A leaf cover that is solid and has a curve at the front is a good choice
• Some gutters that have a built in cover are overpriced

Labels: Leaf covers for your gutter

Rain chains for gutters
A rain chain is used in the place of a downspout. The water flows out of the gutter and down the chain of decorative buckets in the chain. It is a pretty way to have the sound of a waterfall right next to your house. But don't forget to divert the water away from your foundation at the bottom of the chain.

Labels: Gutter Rain Chains

How much pitch or slope should a gutter have?

• Excessive pitch looks sloppy
• Zero pitch is acceptable on a gutter less than 40 ft
• Standard pitch for a gutter is 1/4 inch drop per 10 ft of gutter

Labels: Pitching a gutter

Every gutter needs the proper size downspout

1. A 2x3 downspout can handle 650 square feet of roof area
2. A 3x4 downspout can handle 1200 square feet of roof area

It is best to have the same size spouting all around your house.

Labels: Sizing the downspout for your gutter

A gutter that isn't supported well at the fron lip will sag.

• spikes aren't the best gutter support because they pull out
• standard hidden hangers alone need a roof strap to prevent a sagging gutter
• roof straps alone allow the gutter to sag because there is no internal gutter support
• a hidden hanger with a roof strap is a very strong choice
• a Sampson gutter hanger is the best choice because it is hidden and needs no other support to hold up the gutter

Labels: gutter support choices to prevent sagging

Repairing a sagging gutter is easy;

• Start at the ends and lift the front of the gutter untill it is level
• Install a Sampson gutter hanger to make the repair
• Stretch a string from one end of the gutter to the other, at the top/front
• Move along the gutter and pull it up to the string and install Sampson guter hangers

Labels: Repairing a sagging gutter