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I need to add some gutters to part of our house and I'm seriously considering vinyl gutters because they seem REALLY easy to setup (with minimal tools required too). That being said, I've heard some people say they're more prone to problems such as leaking. Is there truth to this? If so, what alternatives would be appropriate for a newbie home owner?

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The weak points in any guttering system are where the various sections join. If the gutters aren't fitted correctly then any system will leak.

So look for a system that has an easy to fit joint, or perhaps one where the joints are bonded.

As long as they have the capacity to carry the volume of water you expect then any correctly installed system will be OK.

One more thing, make sure you maintain them. Check them at least one a year to make sure they're not blocked, more often if you have overhanging trees. Don't lean your ladder on the gutter itself. Lean it just below or get a device to push the ladder away from the wall.

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  • Thanks Chris. So it sounds this is more of an installation issue than something specific to a type of gutter.
    – Mike B
    Oct 21, 2010 at 15:35
  • @Mike - that and make sure you clean them out every year so they don't get blocked.
    – ChrisF
    Oct 21, 2010 at 15:37
  • That reminds me. What are your thoughts on "GutterStuff" vs standard Gutter Guards? I saw the material at the store but seemed like it would be too easy to clog (even though they say that it is "guaranteed" not to). gutterstuff.com
    – Mike B
    Oct 21, 2010 at 15:45
  • @Mike - I've never used anything like those so I can't comment. Ask a new question, someone else will have used them.
    – ChrisF
    Oct 21, 2010 at 15:49
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My aluminum gutters leak, so I do periodic checks on them. Of course, they only leak when it is raining, at a time when I seriously don't want to deal with the problem.

Anything that carries water like this will probably leak eventually. So I know to check them on a yearly basis to deal with the leaks before winter. To be honest, I find that a clogged downspout is more likely to cause a problem, making the gutter overflow in a heavy rain.

Be careful when you lean a ladder against your gutters, perhaps to clean them out periodically. This will put a strain on the nearby joints, and cause leaks.

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  • Thanks! So now I'm curious... how should a ladder be setup in order to clean gutters without damaging them? Fortunately I have a 1 story home so perhaps a standard 8 ft multi-purpose ladder would suffice. I'm also planning to have some covering to reduce stuff from collecting.
    – Mike B
    Oct 21, 2010 at 15:39
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    You can buy a standoff bracket that hooks to a ladder. The bracket leans on your house wall, so no load is placed on the gutter at all. A virtue of this is it makes your ladder more stable - a big thing for me, who hates heights.
    – user558
    Oct 22, 2010 at 0:21
  • In addition, we have a high fiberglass free-standing ladder, that is tall enough to reach our gutters. I use this whenever possible. It is lighter than my extension ladder or the little giant, so easier to move around.
    – user558
    Oct 22, 2010 at 0:23
  • Finally, you CAN lean a ladder against a gutter, just climb it "gingerly". Don't bounce around a lot, which will flex the gutters, potentially causing problems.
    – user558
    Oct 22, 2010 at 0:25
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Perhaps the most important point in installing vinyl gutters is to use expansion joints, rather than having rigid joints all the way through, for lengths over about 20 or 30 feet. Vinyl expands and contracts much more than metal, so you have to give it somewhere to go. Brackets used for vinyl should also be designed to allow some sliding movement, otherwise the brackets are liable to work loose over time. You may also want to consider sag, which is worse in vinyl.

I installed vinyl gutters on a house I occupied nearly 30 years ago and driving past a few days ago I noticed they're still there, so clearly they can last quite well.

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