Siding Repair & Installation
Vinyl and fiber cement siding repaired after storms or replaced, with the trim and flashing details that keep water out of the wall.
Learn moreGutter and leader repair and replacement in New York, NY
Gutters are the last part of the roof. When they clog, sag or leak at the seams, roof water ends up in the fascia, the foundation and the wall instead of the drain.
- We answer 24/7
- Aluminum, copper, box gutters
- Leaders and downspouts
Quick answer: Gutter repair in New York, NY covers clearing and resealing, rehanging sagging runs to the right pitch, replacing split sections, and rebuilding leaders and downspouts. Seamless aluminum gutters suit most houses, copper suits historic buildings, and built-in box gutters on older buildings are relined rather than replaced where they are sound.
What the job involves
What gutters have to get right
A gutter needs enough pitch to drain but not so much it overflows at the low end, hangers close enough to carry snow and ice, and outlets and leaders sized for the roof above it. Most gutter problems come from one of those being wrong.
The other cause is what the gutter is fastened to. A gutter screwed into rotted fascia will sag no matter how good it is, so the board behind it is checked before new gutters go up.
Your options
Aluminum, copper or box gutter?
| Type | Good for | Keep in mind |
|---|---|---|
| Seamless aluminum gutter | Most houses and additions. | Economical and light, but can dent under ladders and ice. |
| Copper | Historic buildings and long-life installs. | Costs more. Soldered joints last with little upkeep. |
| Built-in box gutter | Older buildings with gutters in the cornice. | Hidden from view, so leaks go into the cornice and wall. Linings must be kept sound. |
Cost factors
What gutter work costs depends on
Material
Aluminum costs less than copper.
Length and height
Linear feet, and how many stories up.
Fascia condition
Rotted boards replaced before new gutters go up.
Leaders
Number of downspouts and where they discharge.
Box gutter relining
Relining a built-in gutter is specialist work.
Guards
Gutter guards add material and labor.
Variations of the job
Gutter work we do
Seamless aluminum gutters
Formed on site from coil to the length of each run, so the only joints are at corners and outlets. Hung on hidden hangers at close spacing to carry snow and ice.
Copper gutters
Half-round or box-profile copper, soldered at the joints, for historic buildings and for owners who want the longest life. Copper weathers to brown and then green.
Leaders and downspouts
Leaders sized to the roof area, secured to the wall, and discharged away from the foundation or into the building's drain line, with cleanouts where they tend to clog.
Built-in box gutters
Gutters built into the cornice of older buildings and lined with metal. Sound ones are cleaned and relined with membrane or new metal; rotted ones are rebuilt.
Do it yourself or call
Gutter upkeep you can do safely
Safe to do yourself
- Clear gutters from a sturdy ladder on a one-story roofline, twice a year and after leaf fall.
- Flush leaders with a garden hose to check they run freely.
- Keep downspout extensions pointed away from the foundation.
- Watch during heavy rain for overflow at corners and outlets.
Leave to a roofer
- Any gutter work above one story.
- Rehanging or re-pitching a sagging run.
- Soldering copper or relining box gutters.
- Replacing rotted fascia behind the gutter.
Local conditions
Two kinds of gutter, two kinds of failure
The city's older buildings and its suburban houses use different gutters. Walk-ups and brownstones often have built-in box gutters hidden in the cornice, or a leader running from a conductor head at the parapet, while detached houses carry hung gutters along the eaves. Each fails differently, so the first question on a gutter call is which kind you have, and whether the leak is the gutter or the roof edge above it.
How it runs
How gutter work runs
- 1
Inspect the run
Pitch, seams, outlets, hangers and leaders.
- 2
Check the fascia
Sound wood before anything is rehung.
- 3
Repair or replace
Reseal, rehang, or install new gutter.
- 4
Set the pitch
Even fall to each outlet.
- 5
Water test
Run water through every run and leader.
Questions we hear
Gutter and leader questions
At least twice a year, in spring and in late fall after the leaves are down, and more often under big trees.
They reduce how often gutters need clearing, but none is maintenance-free. Fine debris still collects, and guards have to come off for cleaning.
Either the gutter is clogged, or it hangs too low and roof water runs behind it. A drip edge that laps into the gutter solves the second.
Often. New hangers into sound fascia and a corrected pitch can bring a sagging run back, if the gutter itself is not split or crushed.
Away from the foundation, onto a splash block or extension, or into a drain line where the building has one. Water dumped at the foundation ends up in the basement.
Related services
Related roofing work
Fascia & Soffit Repair
Rotted fascia boards and damaged soffits replaced and capped, so gutters hang from something solid and the eaves stay sealed and vented.
Learn moreGutters overflowing?
Call and we will clear, rehang or replace them and check the roof edge above.