Everything you need to know about gutters

The different types of gutters

Hanging or creeping, gutters can be of different types. They can also be English, molded, Lyon-style, etc., be made of zinc, PVC, aluminum, etc. We present them to you below:

The hanging gutter

This is the most common type. Half round in shape, the hanging gutter is fixed at the end of the rafters with hooks, on the fascia board or on the eaves. Its characteristics are listed below:

• Tt can be installed with all materials and types of roofing.
• Its great popularity comes from the fact that it can be made of any material (copper, aluminum, zinc, PVC, ...)
• In profile, it is presented in the form of an unclosed circle.

There are 4 models of hanging gutters :

• The English gutter
• The Lyon gutter
• The molded gutter
• The square gutter

The creeping gutter

More discreet than the previous one, the creeping gutter is a pipe that rests on a part of the roof or on a cornice. Its hooks are fixed either to a strip of roof lining or to the upper part of the rafters.

7 different materials are used to make gutters:

• PVC: the most economical.
• Wood: the most rustic.
• Aluminum: the lightest.
• Steel: the heaviest and most galvanized.
• Somposite material: the rarest.
• Copper: the most expensive and the most noble.

Composition of a gutter

The gutter is composed of horizontal and vertical elements. Horizontally, we find first of all the gutter, which rests on hooks fixed on the edge board of the roof or on your wall via gutter screws. The gutter is composed of :

• Corner connectors for three or four-sided roofs.
• Gutter bottoms (right and left) for one and two-sided roofs (one per side).
• Sockets to connect the gutter to the drain (downspout, one per side).
• Expansion joints according to the material and length of the gutter.

Installation of a gutter

The slope determines the correct drainage of water. In general, it ranges from 2 mm per meter to 5 mm per meter. The slope of the gutter is determined by the slope of your roof, its surface and the area in which you live. You can find charts on the internet to help you.

The slope of the gutter is created by attaching the gutter hooks, which are first attached at the highest point. If you install your gutter yourself, do not make a mistake in the direction of the gutter connections, you must put the part closest to the drain source (which is at the lowest point of the slope) underneath.

Renovation: if your roof is already in place, for renovation, look at the possible ways to fix your future gutter: on the rafters, the fascia board (also called fascia) or directly on the wall. Your city's local urban plan may impose a type of finish on your gutter. Consult it before the work!