Gutters are available in many sizes and we often see the brown and white variants. However, we could find other custom colors. As an example, we can use the matching red color for the downspouts, gutters, fascias, soffit, vents and louvers. For home usages, the common size is three inch for the leaders and downspouts, while for gutter is four inch by four inch. Large gutter could be necessary due to the large roofing area. We may also use five-inch gutter that looks like four-inch gutter to handle the extra flow of water. We can also use four-inch downspouts, instead of three-inch for the same purpose. We should avoid using undersized downspouts, because the water could wash over the outer lip of the gutter. This will defeat the whole intention of installing the gutter. Overflowing gutter will also cause problems in landscaping and other parts of the house.
We may also use Yankee Gutters that are built into the roof and they won’t protrude from the edges of the roof. In areas affected by heavy snow during the winter, this kind of gutter will prevent damages caused by sliding snow. When installed properly, they will work really well and with its 12-inch wide size, water from the roof can be caught entirely. However, Yankee Gutters need to be properly maintained, due to its relatively large width. Any leak may penetrate into the house, because the gutter often sits inside the wall line. Proper cleaning need to be performed, especially during the end of the fall; because a large number of leaves may accumulate in the gutter. It should be easy to do if we have tools and preparation.
There are different gutter configurations that we can choose. As an example, we can rivet pipes and fit them together with a couple of rivets with matching colors. We may use extra rivers, so the straps can be strongly secured to the leader pipe. The end product will look quite nice and they won’t be pulled apart easily. The most important thing is to make sure that water from the downspout won’t reach the foundation of the house. We may also use a downspout attachment that can direct water to specific spot, instead of directly underneath. We may also user aftermarket accessories that prevent leaves and debris from accumulating the downspouts and cause overflows.
We may also use rain splashers, rain guards and other accessories for the gutter. If we want to speed up the task, we could use 10-foot pre-made gutter that can be attached with one another for house-wide installation. When attaching gutter, we should use caulk and splices to seal them. We should be aware that splices will leak and sag overtime. In some cases, we may need professional gutter specialists, because handling a 50 ft. gutter won’t be an easy thing to do. If we don’t do this properly, the gutter may bend during the installation, so we may need to replace it.