Here's my story of gutter woe.

I have a small-ish Cape Cod style house with an extension built
on the back of it. Whoever built the extension didn't do a good
job and so there is no soffit overhang, just a straight wall
leading up to the roof.

Originally there was a gutter lining the side of this extension,
leading rainwater away. Ice dams combined with the need for a new
roof took away this original gutter. When the roofer put the new
roof on, he installed a drip edge, so now at least the water
doesn't trickle down the siding.

However, there are two windows on this wall. The drip edge is not
long enough to extend past these windows, so water collects on
the upper edge of them. With one window in particular, water was
entering the house through the window and damaging the plaster
inside.

I went to the home supply store and bought a couple of pieces of
aluminum rain gutter, and took a day to install everything. It
all went well and was reasonably inexpensive except for one
thing: I could only buy 10-foot lengths. Now, the spot on the
gutter where I joined the two 10-foot lengths happened to be
right above the problematic window. And, wouldn't you know it, no
matter what kinds of sealants I used, I couldn't get the joint to
stop leaking. Water would continue to seep out of the joint and
onto the window and into the house. I did some research, talked
to some contractors, and it turns out that it's somewhat common
knowledge that because of expansion and contraction of the two
pieces of metal, these sorts of joints typically DO begin to leak
at some point or another.

For various reasons, among them being the leakage, I took the
gutter down.

Now I am considering two alternatives:

1. hiring a pro to do it. Apparently they can get aluminum
gutters in long enough sections so that they can put one up
without the need for a joint that can possibly leak. This option
is expensive. I got a couple of quotes and they want $360 to
install what basically is a 20-foot section of gutter.

2. Installing a PVC gutter myself, as opposed to aluminum. I
liked this idea because I can do it for maybe $30 tops. Having
worked with PVC pipe, I know how well PVC cement can weld two
pieces of plastic together. However, I just read online that PVC
is also conducive to expansion and contraction and thus to
leakage at joints. So now I am not sure that is the better route
to take.

Any advice?

"peter p." wrote:

Here's my story of gutter woe. ...
...where I joined the two 10-foot lengths (a)nd ...no
matter what kinds of sealants I used, I couldn't get the joint to
stop leaking....

Any advice?

If you're going to go w/ DIY, did you use a connecting piece to join the
two pieces of gutter or simply try to lay one piece inside the other? W/
the connectors make and a good silicon caulk you should get a good joint
that will hold for years.

Alternatively, you could do like the old-timers and solder--that, of
course, means no pre-finished.

The "pro's" don't buy longer sections, they have the tooling to make
seamless guttering onsite. It shouldn't be too hard to find a tin shop
w/ the capability and have them run you a section of the proper length.

I've never used anything except either galvanized or aluminum so can't
comment on it...

You need 3 pieces of gutter instead of two.
Mount the middle one first, centered exactly over the window so there
is no seams over your window. Then join the other two pieces and
just trim the ends to fit.

Or get vinly gutters. The joining piece comes with a rubber vinyl
seal that should not leak.

And finally, seal your window. A window should never leak and the fix
is usually a simple caulk job.






On Sun, 17 Apr 2005 15:42:57 -0400, "peter p."
wrote:


Here's my story of gutter woe.

I have a small-ish Cape Cod style house with an extension built
on the back of it. Whoever built the extension didn't do a good
job and so there is no soffit overhang, just a straight wall
leading up to the roof.

Originally there was a gutter lining the side of this extension,
leading rainwater away. Ice dams combined with the need for a new
roof took away this original gutter. When the roofer put the new
roof on, he installed a drip edge, so now at least the water
doesn't trickle down the siding.

However, there are two windows on this wall. The drip edge is not
long enough to extend past these windows, so water collects on
the upper edge of them. With one window in particular, water was
entering the house through the window and damaging the plaster
inside.

I went to the home supply store and bought a couple of pieces of
aluminum rain gutter, and took a day to install everything. It
all went well and was reasonably inexpensive except for one
thing: I could only buy 10-foot lengths. Now, the spot on the
gutter where I joined the two 10-foot lengths happened to be
right above the problematic window. And, wouldn't you know it, no
matter what kinds of sealants I used, I couldn't get the joint to
stop leaking. Water would continue to seep out of the joint and
onto the window and into the house. I did some research, talked
to some contractors, and it turns out that it's somewhat common
knowledge that because of expansion and contraction of the two
pieces of metal, these sorts of joints typically DO begin to leak
at some point or another.

For various reasons, among them being the leakage, I took the
gutter down.

Now I am considering two alternatives:

1. hiring a pro to do it. Apparently they can get aluminum
gutters in long enough sections so that they can put one up
without the need for a joint that can possibly leak. This option
is expensive. I got a couple of quotes and they want $360 to
install what basically is a 20-foot section of gutter.

2. Installing a PVC gutter myself, as opposed to aluminum. I
liked this idea because I can do it for maybe $30 tops. Having
worked with PVC pipe, I know how well PVC cement can weld two
pieces of plastic together. However, I just read online that PVC
is also conducive to expansion and contraction and thus to
leakage at joints. So now I am not sure that is the better route
to take.

Any advice?

In article , wrote:


Alternatively, you could do like the old-timers and solder

Not on aluminum, you can't.

--
Regards,
Doug Miller (alphageek at milmac dot com)

Nobody ever left footprints in the sands of time by sitting on his butt.
And who wants to leave buttprints in the sands of time?

Your story is common, and that is why seamless metal gutters are so popular
and
competitive. Installers fabricate them on the spot, so there are no seams,
only gutter end caps and downspout joints. They also come in a variety of
colors.
My experience with vinyl is very disappointing. Even with the rubber
connectors, the damn things leak due to hardening/weathering of the rubber,
and thermal lengthwise gutter expansion. I found that no amount of silicone
sealant, poly
sealant, nor henry's roof compound will do the trick once the joints fail .
Metal gutters with seams are very hard to make waterproof, as well, as you
found, and aluminum cannot be soldered.

I would go with seamless aluminum gutters installed by a pro. The vinyl may
look like a good deal but all the little gaskets and fasteners add up and
you will be very close to the seamless aluminum price. Been there and done
that.


"peter p." wrote in message
news

Here's my story of gutter woe.

I have a small-ish Cape Cod style house with an extension built
on the back of it. Whoever built the extension didn't do a good
job and so there is no soffit overhang, just a straight wall
leading up to the roof.

Originally there was a gutter lining the side of this extension,
leading rainwater away. Ice dams combined with the need for a new
roof took away this original gutter. When the roofer put the new
roof on, he installed a drip edge, so now at least the water
doesn't trickle down the siding.

However, there are two windows on this wall. The drip edge is not
long enough to extend past these windows, so water collects on
the upper edge of them. With one window in particular, water was
entering the house through the window and damaging the plaster
inside.

I went to the home supply store and bought a couple of pieces of
aluminum rain gutter, and took a day to install everything. It
all went well and was reasonably inexpensive except for one
thing: I could only buy 10-foot lengths. Now, the spot on the
gutter where I joined the two 10-foot lengths happened to be
right above the problematic window. And, wouldn't you know it, no
matter what kinds of sealants I used, I couldn't get the joint to
stop leaking. Water would continue to seep out of the joint and
onto the window and into the house. I did some research, talked
to some contractors, and it turns out that it's somewhat common
knowledge that because of expansion and contraction of the two
pieces of metal, these sorts of joints typically DO begin to leak
at some point or another.

For various reasons, among them being the leakage, I took the
gutter down.

Now I am considering two alternatives:

1. hiring a pro to do it. Apparently they can get aluminum
gutters in long enough sections so that they can put one up
without the need for a joint that can possibly leak. This option
is expensive. I got a couple of quotes and they want $360 to
install what basically is a 20-foot section of gutter.

2. Installing a PVC gutter myself, as opposed to aluminum. I
liked this idea because I can do it for maybe $30 tops. Having
worked with PVC pipe, I know how well PVC cement can weld two
pieces of plastic together. However, I just read online that PVC
is also conducive to expansion and contraction and thus to
leakage at joints. So now I am not sure that is the better route
to take.

Any advice?

"peter p." wrote in message
news

Here's my story of gutter woe.

I have a small-ish Cape Cod style house with an extension built
on the back of it. Whoever built the extension didn't do a good
job and so there is no soffit overhang, just a straight wall
leading up to the roof.

Originally there was a gutter lining the side of this extension,
leading rainwater away. Ice dams combined with the need for a new
roof took away this original gutter. When the roofer put the new
roof on, he installed a drip edge, so now at least the water
doesn't trickle down the siding.

However, there are two windows on this wall. The drip edge is not
long enough to extend past these windows, so water collects on
the upper edge of them. With one window in particular, water was
entering the house through the window and damaging the plaster
inside.

I went to the home supply store and bought a couple of pieces of
aluminum rain gutter, and took a day to install everything. It
all went well and was reasonably inexpensive except for one
thing: I could only buy 10-foot lengths. Now, the spot on the
gutter where I joined the two 10-foot lengths happened to be
right above the problematic window. And, wouldn't you know it, no
matter what kinds of sealants I used, I couldn't get the joint to
stop leaking. Water would continue to seep out of the joint and
onto the window and into the house. I did some research, talked
to some contractors, and it turns out that it's somewhat common
knowledge that because of expansion and contraction of the two
pieces of metal, these sorts of joints typically DO begin to leak
at some point or another.

For various reasons, among them being the leakage, I took the
gutter down.

Now I am considering two alternatives:

1. hiring a pro to do it. Apparently they can get aluminum
gutters in long enough sections so that they can put one up
without the need for a joint that can possibly leak. This option
is expensive. I got a couple of quotes and they want $360 to
install what basically is a 20-foot section of gutter.

2. Installing a PVC gutter myself, as opposed to aluminum. I
liked this idea because I can do it for maybe $30 tops. Having
worked with PVC pipe, I know how well PVC cement can weld two
pieces of plastic together. However, I just read online that PVC
is also conducive to expansion and contraction and thus to
leakage at joints. So now I am not sure that is the better route
to take.

Any advice?

Take the exact measurement you need to a seamless gutter company and ask
them to roll out a piece for you. I'd be suprised if the cost exceeded
50.00. Bring a long 2x4 with you to give the piece some rigidity when you
cartop it home.

Doug Miller wrote:

In article , wrote:

Alternatively, you could do like the old-timers and solder

Not on aluminum, you can't.

True, but the old-timers didn't have aluminum...and while I've used it
some, most of what I've done has been repair of existing old
galvanized so I don't think Al much...

In article , wrote:
Doug Miller wrote:

In article , wrote:

Alternatively, you could do like the old-timers and solder

Not on aluminum, you can't.

True, but the old-timers didn't have aluminum...and while I've used it
some, most of what I've done has been repair of existing old
galvanized so I don't think Al much...

Well, the OP specifically said that's what he had. So a suggestion to solder
isn't much use to him.

--
Regards,
Doug Miller (alphageek at milmac dot com)

Nobody ever left footprints in the sands of time by sitting on his butt.
And who wants to leave buttprints in the sands of time?

peter p. wrote:
I went to the home supply store and bought a couple of pieces of
aluminum rain gutter, and took a day to install everything. It
all went well and was reasonably inexpensive except for one
thing: I could only buy 10-foot lengths. Now, the spot on the
gutter where I joined the two 10-foot lengths happened to be
right above the problematic window. And, wouldn't you know it, no
matter what kinds of sealants I used, I couldn't get the joint to
stop leaking.

Go to a roofing supply house. Many of them stock much longer lengths
of aluminum gutter. Bringing it home will be the toughest problem, so
see if they'll deliver while they're in your area.

R

Doug Miller wrote:

In article , wrote:
Doug Miller wrote:

In article , wrote:

Alternatively, you could do like the old-timers and solder

Not on aluminum, you can't.

True, but the old-timers didn't have aluminum...and while I've used it
some, most of what I've done has been repair of existing old
galvanized so I don't think Al much...

Well, the OP specifically said that's what he had. So a suggestion to solder
isn't much use to him.

Whatever...I suspect he's long gone...

I read the whole long entry, and I figure there's no window as wide as
the longest piece of guttering you can buy. Install your own for the
savings if it's necessary, but make two seams at places that are not
over your window...........say between wndows if there's more. You can
do the math and cut the stuff to whatever length you need and just
join it with whatever means necessary to make it wash "most" of the
water where you want it. Two leaky seams in places that don't
matter,.............would at least be an acceptable compromise.

If the above idea is not suitable, I will agree with the other
replises suggesting the $360.00 guttering. (or less if you can get
someone to just make the piece for ya for cheaper)

Your call,.................$360 or maybe a forty dollar day.




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In article ,
Duane Bozarth wrote:

Well, the OP specifically said that's what he had. So a suggestion to solder
isn't much use to him.

Whatever...I suspect he's long gone...

No, I'm still here and appreciate all the suggestions.

"peter p." wrote:

In article ,
Duane Bozarth wrote:

Well, the OP specifically said that's what he had. So a suggestion to solder
isn't much use to him.

Whatever...I suspect he's long gone...

No, I'm still here and appreciate all the suggestions.

OK, don't solder aluminum guttering....