Beginners Guide to Rain Gutter Parts

rain gutter parts

Looking to get new gutters installed but have no idea what your house needs or even where to start researching? Well, with this guide we have got you covered! We will discuss our customer gutter options, what gutters do, rain gutter covers- and much more.

Here is everything you will need to know about rain gutter parts. We will start with the basics.

What do Gutters do?

Before you can consider your rain gutter options, you need to know what the different types of gutters do. To summarize, rain gutters collect water runoff during storms and direct it away from your roof. The water travels through a downspout and is dispersed into the ground. This protects your home from water damage and keeps your yard by your home intact.

If you were not to have a rain gutter system, your home would be at risk of taking in too much moisture- this can cause mold, basement flooding, water damage, and more to your home.

So, what do gutters do? They keep buildings safe from being damaged by water! A broken gutter is almost as ineffective as no gutter, so if you notice any problems, be sure to contact a professional for help.

Here at Storm Master Gutters, we can offer you all the information you need to know about gutters. We even offer custom gutters – made right at your home with a special machine we bring by truck! That way, you know you are getting the best fit for your home. Plus, you do not have to worry about transporting bulky materials in your vehicle.

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Still not sure about what all the rain gutter parts do? Here is a quick summary of what each section of the gutter is for.

The Gutter

This is the main part of your gutter system, otherwise known as the straight connector. It is the long, solid sections that you can see from the ground below your home. These are the paths in which water is directed through when it rains. These will also be the biggest part of your gutter installation cost, as they make up the largest portion of your system.

They also can be styled into a few different shapes. Box gutters, half-round, and K-style gutters are usually the most common choices, although there are more options available to you.

They can come in different styles or be made from different materials. Storm Master Gutters has the benefit of being able to offer you customer gutters- we will cut them in the shape you want and make them from a quality material of your choosing.

We have a seamless option through this method which is also great for preventing leaks and sag in your gutters.

The Outlet

This is the section of the gutter system that directs water from the gutters and into the downspout. It is usually seen as a hole into a spout from the top of your house. You can think of it as an “outlet” to the downspout.

This rain gutter part is a little more complicated to install than the rest of the gutters, as it requires cutting into the metal. A gutter installer can help you do this, if you are not comfortable with cutting into the metal rain gutter parts.

The Downspout

The downspout is the pipe where all of the water is directed. It runs vertically along the side of your house and connects to the gutter through an outlet. The downspout carries water away from your home and allows for it to be deposited safely into the ground.

There are a few different gutter downspout sizes and the ones you choose should be based on the needs of your home. Those in areas with higher amounts of rainfall should choose the larger 5 x 6 sizes, while others can get away with the smaller 2 x 3 sizings.

If you were to pick the incorrect rain gutter part size for your downspout the water may not flow through it fast enough. If that were to happen, you might experience more clogs or overflow in the gutter system. Storm Master Gutter would be able to help you choose the proper gutter downspout size- or any other rain gutter parts.

If your downspout were to break, it tends to leak heavily, as this is where all of the collected water is directed. Our custom and seamless gutters can resist separating from the rest of the system easier- preventing leaks before they start.

The Gutter Guard

Some people also choose to have a rain gutter guard installed. This is a wire-like net that keeps leaves and various other debris from clogging your downspouts. Clogs in gutters can be difficult for the average person to deal with, so you might want to consider a guard or having your gutters cleaned regularly by a professional.

Rain gutter covers are not always necessary, although they can make your life a lot easier. If you have a little bit of extra room in your budget, you should consider having them installed along with the rest of the rain gutter parts.

The Gutter Cap

A gutter cap can be seen as a little “awning” over the top of your straight gutter pieces. When water hits the cap, it runs over the side, and drips into the gutter system. This is more effective than the water running off your roof into the gutter, because it prevents debris from entering and clogging up your rain system.

The Elbows

These are the bent sections of the gutter that are connected to the downspout, this directs the current through the spout. There are also 2 different styles of elbows, they are:

  • The “A” style- when connected to the rain gutter system, this elbow will be pointed towards you and away from the house.
  • The “B” style- when connected to the rain gutter system, this elbow will be pointing to the right or left along the side of the house.

The direction of the elbows depends on where you need the water to end up. They are part of the downspout and essential to directing the runoff away from your home. Because of their purpose, the angle of the gutter elbows is also important.

Common angles you find in your gutter system include 30, 45, 75, and 90-degree angles. The extremeness of the angle will determine how fast water can flow through the gutter parts, so it is important to know what kind you need. This is based on where the downspout needs to end the amount of rainfall you can expect in your area.

The Gutter Hangers

Gutter hangers are the gutter parts that attach the system to your roof. They work together with the mounts to provide stability- so that the system does not fall apart under extreme conditions.

You will want to be sure that they are placed properly to ensure the system is stable. They also prevent water damage by holding the gutter at the correct angle, this keeps water flowing through it without overexposing one area to an extreme amount of flow.

You want to be sure that your gutter hangers always look secure and free of damages, otherwise your rain gutter system will not be supported. There are also many different kinds of hangers and mounts to know about:

Spikes with Ferrules

These gutter hangers are made from metal tubes known as ferrules. They are placed across the gutter and attached to the fascia board around your home with the spikes. As a result, they are more likely to split the wood they attach to, so we recommend hiring professionals to ensure there is no damage to your house.

Brackets and Straps

This type of hanger is wrapped around the gutter before being attached to the fascia board. This is stronger than spikes an ferrules, although brackets and straps are mostly used on half-round style gutters.

Their design is good for fluctuating temperatures as they can resist expanding- which allows them to resist damaging the board they are attached to. Brackets might also be referred to as gutter bands.

Hidden Hangers

Many homeowners prefer the sleek look of this hanger style, plus it offers the most support of all the hanger types. The hangers are attached inside the gutter before being connected to the board on your home, meaning they can handle holding up a lot of moving water.

They typically work best with seamless gutters, as they add onto the seamless look- they are known as hidden hangers since you will not be able to see them at all from the ground.

The Splash Block

This is the piece at the very end of your downspout. It safely disperses the water away from your house and prevents the ground nearby from being eroded away. It is necessary to ensure that the water does not splash harshly and dig holes in the ground by your home- giving it its name.

They are made from different materials or can even be made to be more decorative. A thin splash block directs the water away in a line, while a broader block spreads the water out in a wide fan as it disperses.

If you are missing your splash block, you might notice a small waterfall splashing everywhere at the base of your downspout- something that you will want to fix quickly.

The End Caps

The end caps are a gutter part that closed the gutter system, keeping all water trapped inside until it is drained through the downspout. It stops water from flowing over and keeps debris from littering the ground around your home.

The end cap needs to be sealed with a gutter sealant to ensure that there is no leaking. If you do notice it dripping, you can apply a watertight sealant until a professional can make adjustments on it for you. This temporarily prevents water damage to your home.

Gutter Sizing

Now that you know all about rain gutter parts and what tasks they accomplish, you should know about the different gutter sizing options that you have.

There are different sizes for rain gutter parts, each one designed for either commercial or residential buildings. Here is what you can expect each size to be used for on a building.

5 and 6 Inch Gutters

These sizes are a little smaller than commercial gutters and are designed for residential buildings only. Larger buildings have too much runoff during storms and overflow when utilizing these sizes of gutters. They also only work with K-style and half-round gutters.

If you are looking for a gutter system for your home, then these are the sizes that you will need to look at. The 7” and 8” gutters are reserved for custom gutters or box gutters that are going to be used on a building that collects more water than a home with a slanted roof.

If you are not sure if a 5 or 6 inch is better, we can help determine the perfect match for your home. Sometimes, a 4” gutter is necessary.

7 and 8 Inch Gutters

These sizes in gutter systems are typically reserved for commercial buildings, as they tend to have flatter roofs and therefore acquire more runoff water when it rains. These larger gutters are better suited to custom gutters and box style gutters- which will help carry away more water and debris that builds up faster on commercial roofing.

Our commercial gutters are high quality and installed by our professional team- you can be sure that they will keep your business dry. We have many different rain gutter options for businesses and are familiar with the stricter guidelines in installing them. Why not contact us? We would love to be your gutter installers!

We also offer fair prices, so you can be sure that you will be getting an amazing gutter installation cost for the value of the work that we do.

Conclusion

So, now that you know about all of the available rain gutter parts, you should feel more confident navigating your gutter system. We have many rain gutter options for you to sort through, not to mention that we also have custom gutters and fair pricing on installations.

Do not worry- picking out any parts for a home project can be stressful. Since you are going to have them attached for many years to come, it makes sense that you should be informed of the options available to you.

Do not be afraid to contact us with any further questions that you have, we will be happy to help you!

2 thoughts on “Beginners Guide to Rain Gutter Parts”

  1. Afton Jackson says:

    Thank you so much for mentioning rain gutter covers and how they can be added to make the gutters that bit more effective at their job. Spending a few weeks in the new area I live in has gotten me to realize just how pesky and annoying the rainy and snowy weather conditions can be, so I wanted to take some action against them and outfit my house with better fixtures for these conditions. I’ll definitely set aside some extra budget when I find a gutter contractor that can stop by so I can ask them to install some covers along with it.

  2. Alice Carroll says:

    It’s helpful that you mentioned that I should also look into gutter guards when planning a gutter installation. I plan to hire contractors for that in the summer so that there would be no chance of rain. That way, the job can be finished fast and without delays.

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