Frequently Ask Question
Types of Gutters
A K-Style gutter is what is most commonly used on residential and commercial homes. The “K” refers to the shape of the front of the gutter. This design has proven to be effective for handling large amounts of water without overflowing and also the “K” style gives the gutter added strength.
Available in 5 inch and 6 inch
Types of Leaders
A leader is more commonly known as a down spout. The down spout or leader is what is connected to the gutter and brings the water from the gutter to the ground. Leaders are available in different sizes depending on the needs of the home.
2×3″ is the dimension of the most commonly used leader on residential homes. 2×3″ is the standard size installed with 5″ gutters. 3×4″ is most commonly installed with 6″ gutters. A 6″ gutter usually is taking on more water and will need a bigger leader to handle the extra flow.
Available in 2”x3” and 3”x4”
The corrugated design provides added strength and a certain aesthetic that many people like. Corrugated leaders are an excellent accent when having copper gutters installed.
There are no real advantages of round leaders over rectangular leaders as far as handling water and debris.
Available in 3” & 4”
The smooth round leaders look beautiful but lack the strength of the corrugated leader. They are by no means weak, but if something hits it, the leader will dent more easily than a corrugated leader. Round smooth leaders are not available in aluminum, only copper.
There are no real advantages of round leaders over rectangular leaders as far as handling water and debris.
Available in 3” & 4”
Types of Hangers
A hanger is the piece that holds the gutter together and secures it to the house. The way it works is it grabs the front lip of the gutter and snaps to the back of the gutter. Most hangers installed today by professionals you will find below. All the listed hangers use a threaded screw to secure the gutter to the house.
This is the hanger that WSG uses and is the best hanger on the market. It comes with a screw already started into the hanger. The shaft that the screw goes through provides added strength to the screw. The slight arch on the bottom of the hanger also gives added strength. The threaded screw is driven on an angle through the back of the gutter and into the fascia.
Available in 5” & 6”
The hidden hanger is often used instead of the superior Quick Screw hanger because of its lower cost. Although it costs less, it shortens the life span of your gutters significantly.
Available in 5” & 6”
This hanger is corrugated on the inside to provide added strength. It is definitely better than the regular hidden hanger but again not as strong as the Quick Screw hanger.
Available in 5” & 6”
If your gutters are more than 10 years old it is possible that they were installed using the nail and ferrule system. A nail is driven thorough the front of the gutter, through the ferrule shaft and through the back of the gutter and then into the fascia. This was the standard way of hanging gutters 20 years ago, but technology has improved and the hidden hangers have now become the industry standard. The problem with this system is that the nails start falling out after a few years. The reason this happens is because the wood expands and contracts, working the nails out and eventually the gutter falls off.
Available in 5” & 6”
When installing Half-Round gutters the #10 combo shown is the hanger of choice. The back end of the hanger is secured to the fascia and the gutter is laid into the circle shape. The spring clip then hooks to the front end of the hanger, over the front lip of the gutter, and holds the gutter securely into place.
Other Materials
The gutter wedge is used to make up the difference behind a gutter when the fascia is slanted or there is a molding behind the gutter. This works on 5″ & 6″ gutters.
When a house has an area where two gutters meet at a corner, a miter is used to make a smooth transition between both gutters. When our crews install a corner, we seal in three places. The first place we seal is on the manufacturers seam which is right in the middle. The second is on the inside of the corner where the gutters will overlap into it. And the third is on top where the gutters meet. Basically meaning no leaks.
Some houses may have a bay window or a bonus room which will have an octagonal shape on the outside of the house requiring the gutter to make a 45• angle. In these situations the bay miter is used to connect the gutters at the corners.
A roof strap is a thin piece of metal that on one end hooks into the gutter hanger and the other end has holes for a screw to secure the gutter and strap into the roof. Roof straps are often used when there is no fascia.
Conductor heads are often used to add extra style to a house or building and installed at the top of a leader. Often these are used when installing copper gutters and leaders. The other function is not cosmetic but rather when a lot of water is going into one down spout, a conductor head can hold the excess water as the rest goes down the leader pipe. Conductor heads are available in aluminum & copper, 5″ & 6″.
End caps are used to cap off the open end of a gutter so that water does not flow out of the end. The end caps are crimped and sealed with silicon to ensure no leaking.
Most houses have an overhang between the gutter/fascia and the siding. To get the leader from the gutter to the siding an elbow is used. Elbows are also installed at the bottom of all leaders so the water does not go directly into the foundation.
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