FAQ's

Why do I need rain gutters in Central Oregon

What is the best Rain Gutter?

What is the best Hanger?

What is the best Leaf Screen?

When should I replace my gutters?

My existing gutters are not working properly, can you tell me what's wrong?

Why do I need rain gutters in Central Oregon?

Uncontrolled rain water falling from your roof can lead to many problems. Flooding basements, water intruding into the home, ruined landscaping, dead or damaged plants, soil erosion, stained concrete, swollen siding, rotted decks, deteriorated stucco, and cracked slabs, are just a few of the problems that can occur. In Central Oregon we install gutters on an average of 3 homes per day.

Many inexperienced homeowners, in their rush to fix up their new house, forget about installing rain gutters. This often leads to costly repairs, redoing parts of the landscaping again, and installing rain gutters. This expensive mistake could have been avoided if they just realized the potential damage that falling roof water can cause.

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What is the best Rain gutter?

There is no "best gutter". There is the best gutter for the job. As with most products, there are strong points and weak points in the various rain gutter systems. Putting up a rain gutter in an environment that it's not well suited for, is a waste of time and money.

For most homeowners, seamless aluminum (continuous aluminum) rain gutter will give you the most bang for the buck. It's usually available in about 33+ colors from Resist-All. It comes painted from the factory and therefore the paint requires almost no maintenance. Seamless Copper is considered the top of the line. It can last for hundreds of years. Copper carries a certain "status". It is, of course, more expensive. Although copper doesn't take paint well, few people who buy copper actually want it painted. Copper will oxidize and the oxidation is turquoise. This is similar to rust on steel, except it is not caused by the metal breaking down (corrosion). This "patina" is a very sought after look. This turquoise marbling adds texture, color, and a richness to copper that is unequaled by any other metal. But like rust it can stain. If you live in an area that has a heavy marine layer, be aware that you may experience some staining from the condensation that drips off the copper gutter.

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What is the best Hanger?

Once again, there is no best hanger, just the best hanger for the job. How your gutter is fastened, is just as important as the type of gutter you select.

There are basically four kinds of fastening systems. Each system has variations. These are:

The Spike and Ferrule. This is a two part system. The ferrule is a tube that is inserted inside the gutter. A ferrule keeps the width of the gutter uniform and gives it strength. It will usually take the full weight of a ladder with a person on it and not bend. The spike is driven through the face of the gutter, through the ferrule, through the back, and into the fascia board and/or rafter. This firmly nails the entire gutter to the fascia board.

The Hidden Hanger. The hidden hanger is a bracket that clips under the top of the front gutter hem and is secured to the back. The bracket is then screwed into the fascia board with a wood screw. Since it's inside the gutter, it is not visible. This system also allows easy removal of the gutter, should it ever become necessary.

The T-Bar. The T-Bar system is a suspension system. It hangs the gutter from the sub roof as opposed to fastening the gutter to the fascia board. It is usually used when tile or shingle projection exceeds the useable width of the gutter, or where the fascia board or rafters are set back too far to allow fastening.

Unless all the homes in your area are build alike, avoid contractors that sell only one system to the exclusion of all others. If a contractor recommends one system over the rest, ask him why he recommends it. Reputable contractors are just as interested in keeping their gutters from falling down as you are!

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What is the best Leaf Screen?

This is one of the most often asked, and most controversial questions in our industry. Again, I'll state "there is no best leaf screen, only the best one for your job, budget, and appeal".  I've expanded  this because, some of the best are also the most expensive and, I think, the most visually intrusive.

There are three ways to keep leaves and debris from clogging gutters. These are  leaf screens, gutter covers, and leaf strainers.

Leaf Screens do just that, screen out leaves. They are made of wire mesh and when placed on the gutter, will let water in and block the leaves. Unfortunately, they let dirt and smaller debris in, so gutters still have to be cleaned, but not as often as gutters without leaf screens.

Gutter Covers are solid metal covers that fit over the gutter in such a way that they actually separate the debris from the roof water. They work on the principal of surface adhesion. That's to say that water will stay attached to metal even when the surface changes angles. That's where the debris separates from the roof water. It's fascinating to watch, and it's very effective in preventing debris from entering the gutter. However, it cannot be used on all roofs.

Leaf Strainers are screens or devices put over the hole to the downspout. If you can keep the hole from being blocked, the gutter will not overflow. However, this is not a substitute for frequent gutter cleaning.

In deciding which one is best, you need to consider many things. How bad is the problem, how much will it cost, what will it look like, how often will I need to clean the gutters, how effective is it for my situation. This is where the expertise of Resist-All is invaluable.  Deal with a contractor who offers a variety of products, do your homework, and ask a lot of questions.

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When should I replace my gutter?

If you have steel or vinyl gutters, you will need to replace them eventually. How you tolerate maintenance on you home will determine when you should replace the gutter.

If you're the kind of person who doesn't want to be bothered with the time and money repairs demand, you should replace your gutters at the first signs of rust.  Rust will often show up as little orange speckles that show through the paint, rusty colored stains at the end of the downspouts, or at gutter seams that are separated and leaking. Gutters rust from the inside out. When they begin to show rusting on the outside, the inside is rusting through. Often, however, because of standing water, the gutter may need to be repaired in just one or two areas.

If you're handy and don't mind a few hours working on a ladder, you can  repair the gutter yourself, and avoid replacing it for years. Keep in mind that just like a worn suit, you can't keep patching it forever. You may want to repair them for the rainy season, and plan on having them professionally replaced during the off season, when gutters are usually on sale.

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