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TYPES
OF GUTTERS |
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K-Style
Gutter 5 inch & 6 inch sizes |
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K-Style is the most commonly used gutter on residential and commercial homes. "K" refers to the gutter’s front shape, and this shape adds strength to the gutter. This design has proven to be effective for handling large amounts of water without overflowing. |
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Half-Round
Gutters 5" & 6" Gutters |
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Half-Round gutters are commonly found on older homes made of stone or brick. These homes often have slate, cedar shake or Spanish tiled roofs. |
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TYPES
OF LEADERS OR DOWNSPOUTS |
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Types
of Leaders or Downspouts |
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“Leaders” are more commonly known as “down spouts”. They connect to the gutter and carry water from the gutter to the ground. Leaders are available in different sizes depending on the needs of the home. |
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2x3"
& 3x4" Leaders |
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2x3" is the dimension of the most commonly used leader on residential homes, and is the standard size installed with 5" gutters. 3x4" is most commonly installed with 6" gutters, as this size gutter takes on more water, therefore needing a bigger leader to handle the extra flow. |
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3"
& 4" Round Corrugated Leaders |
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Leaders with a corrugated design provide added strength and a certain aesthetic liked by many, particularly as an accent to copper gutters.
However, as far as handling water and debris, the round corrugated style offers no advantage over a rectangular leader. |
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3"
& 4" Round Smooth Leaders |
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Round smooth leaders appear beautiful but lack the strength of a corrugated leader. While they are by no means weak, but when hit this leader dents more easily than a corrugated leader. Round smooth leaders are only available in copper.
There are no real advantages of round leaders over rectangular leaders as far as handling water and debris. |
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Gutters are held together and secured to a house by hangers; a hanger grabs the front lip of a gutter and snaps to the back of the gutter. Listed below are most hangers installed today by professional. All the listed hangers use a threaded screw to secure the gutter to the house. |
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5"
& 6" Quick Screw Hidden Hanger |
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This is the hanger that "The Brothers" use 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, as well as the slight arch on the bottom of the hanger. The threaded screw is driven on an angle through the back of the gutter and into the fascia. |
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5"
& 6" Hidden Hidden Hanger |
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The hidden hanger is often used instead of the superior Quick Screw hanger because of its lower cost. Although cost efficient, a hidden hanger shortens the life span of your gutters significantly because they lack the strength of the quick screw. |
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5"
& 6" Heavy Duty Hidden Hanger |
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This hanger is corrugated on the inside to provide added strength. While an improvement over the regular hidden hanger, they are again not as strong as the Quick Screw hanger. |
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5"
& 6"Nail and Ferrule |
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If your gutters are more than 10 years old, they were possibly installed using the nail and ferrule system. A nail is driven thorough the front of the gutter and the ferrule shaft, then through the back of the gutter into the fascia. While a common technique 20 years ago, technology has improved and hidden hangers are the current industry standard. The problem with this system is that wood naturally expands and contracts, and after several years the nails fall out, leading eventually to the gutter falling off. |
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Half-Round
Hangers |
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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. |
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Gutter
Wedges |
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The gutter wedge makes up the difference behind a 5” or 6” gutter when the fascia is slanted or there is a molding behind the gutter. |
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Gutter
Corners/Miters |
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A miter creates a smooth transition between two gutters meeting at a corner. Our company seals corners in three places; on the manufacturers seam (right in the middle), on the inside where the gutters overlap, and on top where the gutters meet. These seals ultimately prevent leakage. |
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Gutter
Strip/Bay Miters |
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At times a gutter is required to make a 45 degree angle, for example in a home with a bay window or a bonus room creating an octagonal shape on the outside of the house. In these situations the bay miter is used to connect the gutters at the corners. |
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Roof
Straps |
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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. |
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Conductor
Head |
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Conductor heads are often used to add extra style to a house or building and are 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". |
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End
Caps |
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End caps cap off the open end of a gutter, preventing water from flowing out. The end caps are crimped and sealed with silicon to ensure no leaking. |
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Leader
Elbows |
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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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