Gutters
Gutters and drainage.
Gutters are the part of the roof system that decides where the water goes once it leaves the shingles. Undersized, under-pitched or clogged, they put water into the fascia, the foundation and the basement. We size them to the roof, pitch them to drain, and install them so the drip edge and gutter line work together.
What we do
What we install and repair
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Seamless gutter replacement
Gutters formed on site from a continuous roll of aluminum, so the only seams are at corners and outlets. Hung with hidden hangers screwed into the fascia, pitched to the downspouts, with new end caps, miters and outlets.
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Downspouts and drainage
Downspouts sized and placed so each run drains within its capacity, with extensions or splash blocks that carry water away from the foundation. Buried drain lines on request.
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Gutter guards
Mesh or perforated guards that keep leaves and shingle grit out while letting water in. We will tell you which style suits the trees over your house and which ones clog under pine straw.
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Repair, re-pitch and re-hang
Sagging runs re-hung with new hangers, loose spikes replaced, leaking corners resealed, pitch corrected so standing water drains. Often the right answer on gutters that are otherwise sound.
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Fascia and soffit
Rotten fascia behind a failed gutter is common in metro Atlanta. We replace the board, not just the gutter in front of it, and wrap or paint it to match.
Materials
Sizes, profiles and what each one is for.
Residential gutters come in a few sizes and materials. These are the ones that matter for a house in metro Atlanta.
- 5-inch K-style aluminum
- The standard residential gutter: a flat back, a decorative front profile, and enough capacity for most roofs. Aluminum does not rust and comes pre-finished in a wide range of colors.
- 6-inch K-style aluminum
- About 40 percent more capacity than 5-inch. Specified for large or steep roofs, long runs with few downspouts, and anywhere water routinely overshoots the gutter in a hard rain.
- Half-round aluminum or copper
- A traditional profile for older homes and certain architectural styles. Holds a little less water than K-style of the same width and is usually hung with exposed brackets.
- Copper and galvanized steel
- Copper for the look and the longevity, at a much higher cost; galvanized steel for strength where ladders and ice are a concern. Both are specialty orders; ask and we will price them honestly or tell you aluminum is the better buy.
Before you choose
What decides the size and layout
Roof area and pitch
A steep roof sheds water faster than a shallow one of the same size. The gutter and downspout sizing follows from both, not from what was there before.
Downspout count
One downspout per 30 to 40 feet of gutter is a common rule of thumb. Fewer than that and the run has to carry more water than it should.
Trees and guards
Pine straw and oak leaves clog differently. The guard style, or the choice to skip guards and clean twice a year, depends on what is overhead.
Process
What the gutter estimate includes
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Site visit
We measure the eaves, check the fascia for rot, note the roof area each run drains, and look at where the water goes once it hits the ground.
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Written estimate
Gutter size and material, color, linear feet, number and size of downspouts, guards if any, fascia repair allowance, and the price.
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Scheduling
Most whole-house gutter jobs are completed in a day. If they are part of a roof replacement, they go on after the roof so the drip edge and gutter are set together.
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Installation and walk-through
Old gutters removed and hauled, fascia repaired, new gutters formed on site and hung, downspouts set, water tested with a hose before we leave.
Questions
Common questions about gutters.
Should I replace the gutters when I replace the roof?
Usually, if they are more than about 15 years old, sagging, or leaking at the corners. Doing both at once means the drip edge, the gutter apron and the gutter are installed as one system, and it saves a second set-up. If the gutters are sound, we leave them and say so.
Do gutter guards actually work?
Good ones keep out leaves and let most of the water in. None of them are maintenance-free, and the cheap snap-in screens tend to clog on top and overshoot. We will tell you which product we would put on your house and why.
Why is water running behind the gutter?
Usually a missing or short drip edge, or a gutter hung too low on the fascia. Both are fixable without replacing the gutter, and both are checked on every roof we do.
Can you match the color of my trim?
Aluminum gutters come pre-finished in dozens of colors; white, brown and several grays and bronzes are stocked. We bring the color chart to the site visit.
Next step
Tell us about the roof or the siding.
A few sentences, the city or ZIP code, and what the property needs is enough to start. Call, or send the form and we will reply with next steps.