Common Mistakes When Installing Rain Gutters & How to Avoid Them

Gutters can provide years of protection from rain and other weather by fighting off water damage. But, when sized or installed incorrectly, expensive repairs are in the future for your gutter, roof or siding. Central Aluminum Supply is here to help you avoid these common mistakes.

We’re a leading expert in the gutter industry and a top distributor on the East Coast. We’re also a proud member of the IBP Family of Companies. This means you can trust us when it comes to choosing the right gutters.

Things to Consider When Choosing Gutters

When installing gutters, you must consider what they’re made of, their size and their style. These three factors are crucial to ensuring the gutters have a proper fit on your home.

Choosing the Right-Sized Gutter

Choosing the right gutter size is critical to ensuring a proper fit. Gutters that are too small can allow for overflow and subsequent water damage. To choose the correct gutter size, you’ll want to factor in things such as the average rainfall in your area, the size of your roof and its pitch and potential areas around the house that may cause overflow. Standard gutters come in 5-8 inch sizes and will work on most homes along the East Coast.

Choosing the Best Gutter Material & Style

Your gutter system is meant to blend with your home. This is why we offer several styles, including K-style, half-round and box gutters, which can be used depending on the style of home.

Our gutters also come in various materials, including:

• Aluminum
• Galvanized steel
• Copper
• Vinyl

These are the most popular materials, although aluminum is the preferred material of contractors for its strength and durability, ease of installation, cost and variety of sizes.

What to Consider When Installing Gutters

When installing gutters, several key factors must be considered to avoid costly mistakes.

Improper Pitch

The pitch of your roof refers to the steepness or slope of the roof. When your gutters don’t correctly line up with this pitch, it can lead to overflow.

When your gutters are pitched too steeply, it causes the water to flow faster and doesn’t allow enough time for debris to filter out. This leads to inadequate drainage, increased wear and an unbalanced load, which can cause potential sagging or detachment.

If your gutters aren’t pitched steeply enough, you can end up with issues like water pooling, overflow, ice damming, debris accumulation and pest attraction from the stagnant water.

Gutter Hangers Are Spaced Incorrectly

It’s critical that your gutter hangers are spaced correctly to ensure your gutter system functions properly. Spacing them too far apart can cause sagging and eventual separation of the gutters from the home. To avoid this, properly space your hangers by putting them roughly every three feet along the gutter system.

Avoid Too Many Seams

Seamless gutters are a popular option now because they eliminate the risk of too many seams. The seams in traditional gutter systems are their weakest points. Having too many seams can lead to more frequent leaks and costly repairs.

Not Enough Downspouts or Improper Downspout Placement

Having both the correct number of downspouts and proper placement is key to ensuring your gutter system’s proper function. Including too few downspouts can lead to clogs and stagnant water. Improper placement leads to potential soil erosion and damage to your siding or foundation. They can also act as a home for bug infestations.

Order the Right Gutter Supplies with Central Aluminum Supply

Central Aluminum Supply is proud to offer the best in high-quality gutter supplies. We have a massive inventory of styles, colors and materials to choose from to ensure you get the perfect fit for your project.

We’re focused on customer service to help you choose the right gutter systems, whether you’re a homeowner or a contractor. We also offer gutter machines for sale, which includes on-site repairs for our contractor clients.

If you’re in the market for new gutters on the East Coast, contact Central Aluminum Supply today!