Seamless gutters made on site for Vancouver, WA homes

Seamless gutters are made from a coil of aluminum run through a machine in our truck, right in your driveway. Each run comes out as one piece the full length of the eave, so the only joints are at the corners and outlets. Fewer joints means fewer places to drip, and fewer places for needles and grit to catch and start a clog.

A new gutter system is more than the trough itself. We look at how much roof drains to each run, where the downspouts should go, and where that water ends up on the ground. Gutters that dump at the foundation still cause basement and crawlspace trouble. We plan outlets so the water leaves the house through extensions or tie-ins you already have.

Sizing gutters for long wet winters

Gutter size depends on how much roof drains into each run and how steep that roof is. A steep slope sheds water faster, so the gutter has to catch a bigger surge. Many older homes here have 5-inch gutters with small 2 by 3 downspouts. They do fine in a drizzle but overflow at the corners during a real downpour, and the small downspouts clog with the first handful of needles.

On most two-story homes and on roofs with long valleys feeding one corner, we recommend 6-inch gutters with 3 by 4 downspouts. The larger outlet passes debris that would plug a smaller one, and the extra depth holds the rush of water that comes off a valley. We also add downspouts on long runs so no single outlet carries more than its share. On some homes that means a downspout in the middle of a long front wall, tucked beside a window or at a porch post.

What goes into a new gutter system

Before the new gutter goes up, we tear off the old runs and look at the fascia behind them. Rotted fascia is common under old leaking gutters, and hanging a new gutter on soft wood just means it pulls loose in a year. Damaged boards get replaced first. Then we set the slope, hang the gutter and run every downspout to a proper outlet. The whole job is usually done in a day, with the old gutters hauled away.

• 5-inch or 6-inch K-style aluminum, roll-formed on site
• Hidden hangers screwed into the rafter tails
• Drip edge or gutter apron tucked under the shingles
• 2 by 3 or 3 by 4 downspouts placed to the drainage
• Sealed end caps and mitered corners
• Splash blocks or extensions away from the foundation

Colors, profiles and matching the house

Aluminum coil comes in dozens of baked-on colors, so gutters can match the trim, blend with the siding or stand out as an accent. Most homeowners pick a color close to the fascia so the gutter disappears into the roofline. In neighborhoods with HOA rules, we check what the association allows before ordering, since some require a specific shade or a match to the trim already on the house. Downspouts usually match the gutters, though some owners paint them to the siding.

K-style is the most common profile because its flat back sits tight to the fascia and it holds more water than half-round gutters of the same width. Half-round fits some Craftsman and older homes better and looks right on a bungalow porch. It needs different brackets and costs more, but on the right house it is the better choice. We bring samples of both profiles so you can hold them up against the fascia and see which reads better from the street.

Pairing gutters with roof work

The cleanest time to replace gutters is right after a new roof goes on. The drip edge is fresh, the fascia has been checked and the slope can be set to the new roofline. If your roof is in good shape, gutters can be done on their own, and we will flag any roof-edge issues we spot while working at the eaves. Missing drip edge, curled starter shingles and soft decking at the edge are the most common, and each one is easier to fix while the gutters are off.