Your gutter system serves a simple purpose, but knowing about the different components of your gutter system will help you take better care of your gutters, and by extension, your home.
Troughs and Drops and End Caps – Oh My!
Most homes built in the last fifty years have gutters installed, yet many Homeowners don’t know the various components that make up their gutter systems. Many simply reference the entire system as ‘the gutters’, but there are many parts that work together to keep rainwater draining away from your home and its foundation. Your gutter system goes far beyond just gutters and downspouts and knowing about the different parts of your gutter system will help you better understand it and maintain it.
The Main Part – The Gutter Trough
When most people think of a gutter system, they first think of the gutter trough. The gutter trough is the portion of the gutter system that runs along your home, horizontal to the ground, and resembles the trough used for animal feed just on a much smaller scale. It is the portion of the gutters that catches all of the water, leaves, and debris as they run off of your roof. The job of the gutter trough is to collect the rainwater, lead it to a downspout (more on the downspouts later!), and away from your home. The gutter troughs come in a few different shapes and sizes and can go by a few different names. Most homes have what is called a K style gutter trough and are either 5” or 6” in width. Some specialty gutters, like K Guard leaf free gutters, are a hybrid in that they measure 5” wide, but are designed with a deeper trough that has the same capacity as a 6” gutter. Some homes have half round gutters which look like half of a cylinder while most commercial buildings have box style gutters that, like the name indicates, look like a box. The gutter trough can also be called gutter channel, water channel, eaves trough, or simply as the gutter. Gutter troughs have a few features themselves that need further explanation such as the drops, the miters, and the end cap.
Drops
Most homes are outfitted with seamless, aluminum gutter troughs. This means that there are no breaks in the aluminum. The trough is one consistent piece of aluminum from one end to the other. No breaks, or seams, in the gutter trough mean that there are no spaces for water to leak through along the length of the gutter trough. There is, however, a hole at the bottom of the gutter trough at least one end of each run, or length, of gutter and this is by design. This hole is called the drop and it is where a downspout (we’re almost there, I promise!) connects to carry all of the rainwater collected by the gutter trough away from your home.
Miters
Miters are what is used to connect two perpendicular lengths of gutter. For example, a miter would be used to connect the run of gutter along the front of your home with the run of gutter along the side of your home. Where those two runs of gutter meet, a miter is installed to create a seal so that water cannot leak at that seam. Inside miters are installed when two runs of gutter meet at an inside corner and outside miters are installed when two runs of gutter meet at an outside corner. Both serve the same function o reinforcing the seam where two runs of gutter meet.
End Caps
If your home only has gutters on the front and rear sides, they will not have a length of gutter to connect to at a miter. However, something needs to be installed to stop the collected rain water from flowing out of the ends of the gutter trough. These pieces are aptly named end caps as they close, or cap, the end of your gutter trough. The end caps are installed on each open end of the gutter trough and then sealed into place with a solvent based sealant to ensure there are no leaks. The end caps match the gutter trough in shape and color to present a professional, polished look.
Downspouts
The downspout is the tubular portion that runs vertically from the gutter trough and carries the rainwater collected by the gutter trough down to the ground level. A downspout is generally installed every 30’-40’ of gutter trough to ensure proper drainage. The downspouts are located beneath the drop in the gutter trough and run down the height of the home. Downspouts are connected to the gutter troughs with a piece called an elbow which is a curved portion of the same material as the downspout that is crimped or cinched to fit inside the run of downspout. At the end of the downspout, where it meets the ground, is another elbow that is curved away from your home so that the rainwater does not pool at your foundation. Some homes have what is called a splash block on the ground at the end of the downspout to further divert the rainwater while others have what is called a rain leader that serves the same purpose. The splash block is an open slab that kind of resembles a ramp while a rain leader connects to the end of the downspout and is enclosed. It usually looks like a corrugated pipe and can lead rainwater even further from the foundation of your home.
Gutter Guards, Gutter Hoods and Other Leaf and Debris Protection
While not every gutter system has gutter guards, hoods or leaf and debris protection included, many Homeowners benefit from having them installed. There are many types of protection for your gutter troughs, with some being better than others. Homes that have more mature trees surrounding them benefit greatly from a system that keeps leaves and debris from clogging the troughs, drops, and downspouts. Most of these systems are installed on the top of the gutter trough with the purpose of preventing leaves and debris from entering the gutter system. There are many options such as mesh screens, aluminum filters and aluminum guards. However, we at Mid Atlantic Gutters and Roofing specialize in fabricating and installing K Guard leaf free gutter systems that use an aluminum hood that drains into the trough by way of two drains – one in the front of the hood and one in the rear of the hood. The hood is actually a separate piece that can be lifted for inspection and can be replaced separately from the gutter trough in case of damage like a tree branch falling on it during a storm. K Guard leaf free gutters come with a transferable lifetime warranty that guarantees the gutters will never clog, sag, or pull away from your home. It is the best solution for anyone who doesn’t want to deal with biannual gutter cleanings.
How Does It All Stay Put?
The pieces of metal that attach your gutters and your downspouts to your home are critical in the successful functioning of your gutter system. The gutters are attached to your home using gutter hangers. These are strong pieces of metal that are installed approximately every three feet of gutter troughs to ensure that your gutters do not sag or pull away from your home in any type of weather. Most gutter hangers are installed inside of the gutters (connecting the back side of the gutters to the front side of your home) and are therefore not visible from the ground. The downspouts are attached to your home using gutter straps. Gutter straps are pieces of aluminum that connect to the home on one side of the downspout, wrap around the downspout, and connect to your house on the other side of the downspout. The straps keep the downspout secured to your home so that they do not pull away from the home or come off altogether.
Knowledge Is Power
The more you know about your gutter system, the better able you are to ensure its proper function and to protect your home from the elements. Homeowners should be doing a visual inspection of their gutters twice each year, once in the spring and once in the fall. For the DIY savvy Homeowner, knowing the different components of your gutters system allows you to properly self diagnose any issues or needed repairs. For the Homeowners who wouldn’t be caught dead on a ladder, knowing the different components of your gutters system allows you to properly communicate any issues found with a licensed professional. Knowing the ins and outs of your gutters system empowers you to take better care of what is likely your biggest investment – your home.