Rain gutters are a feature that virtually all housesshare. Care, some basic knowledge, and a good contractor will help youmake selections as to the type and size of rain gutters most appropriate foryour house and locality. And locality matters.  Arizonaaverages just over 7 inches of rain per year while Mobile, Alabama,averages 67 inches. Water, water everywhere. What Gutters Do : Raingutters are open-topped troughs that are installed just below the eaves of yourroof to collect and carry off rainwater.  Normally they are constructed ofmetal. Downspouts are connected to the gutters and carry the water down toground level. The water is then discharged on splash blocks on the groundto direct the water away from the foundation. Occasionally the systemdischarges into a cistern or reservoir to collect the rainwater for subsequentuse. Gutters are shaped to form aspecified profile, often a U-Shape (half-round), or a modified rectangulartrough which is referred to as K-Shape. They need to be sized for your?worst-case? downpour. Sizes vary from 4 inches to 7 inches inwidth. Your gutter contractor will be able to recommend the size bestsuited to your local conditions.

Gutter Materials  : The metal stock from which the gutteris formed can be aluminum, galvanized steel, copper, or a hybrid version of oneof these metals.  Specialized materials include copper penny aluminum,Copper Plus (copper plated stainless steel), Galvalume (steel stock with acoating of aluminum and zinc), and lead-coated copper.  Often the exteriorface is painted, with a wide variety of colors available from which thecustomer may choose. Seamless gutters made of aluminum are the most commontoday.  The overall design of a gutter system has a number of differentparts.  These include the gutter, end caps, miters (corner pieces), dropoutlets, downspouts, elbows, and various kinds of hangers and supportsystems.  Metal gutters were originally assembled from sections that werejoined together with snap-in-place connectors.  

Why Seamless Gutters? : Seams are always possible leak points in a guttersystem.  These joints may allow water to leak out of the gutter and dripdown, possibly damaging the siding, splashing dirt onto the house, or erodingyour yard.  Seamless gutters virtually eliminate this leakage problem. Seamlessgutters have been available for more than 40 years and are the most commonitems selected by homeowners today.  Seamless gutters are not totallyseamless, but there are fewer seams that can create such leak points. 

Seamless Gutter Machines : Seamlessgutters are formed, at your home, using a special seamless . The gutter is shaped from acoil. A wide variety of colors are available to match the paint, siding,brick, or stone color of your house.  Each horizontal run of gutter isformed and cut to the exact length required for your installation, therebyminimizing the number of seams or joints. The stock materials from whichthe gutters are made vary in thickness from 0.019 inch to 0.032 inch. This is a place where attempting to save money is usually a mistake.  Buythe heaviest material you can afford'it will last longer and resist damagebetter. 

Advantages and Disadvantages : If you want to undertake constructing the gutter systemyourself, your only choice is sectional-type materials. You still have avariety of materials and finish colors from which to select, but you are onyour own.  You are the designer and installer.  If you have theskills required, and the time required, you can save some money over having acontractor install a system. Most people will probably choose to use acontractor, and with seamless gutters you have a lot less hassle.  Inaddition to the metal gutter materials discussed above, vinyl gutters areavailable.  Vinyl material is the least expensive, but vinyl becomesbrittle in very cold weather and is much more likely to crack.  Galvanizedsteel is strong and will usually last 30 years or more. However, sooner orlater it will rust. You can protect against this by periodically painting theinside of the gutter, but this adds to your load of home maintenance chores.Aluminum does not rust or crack, and is therefore a popular choice. 

Gutter System Cost : How much are wetalking?  Vinyl gutters can be installed by a contractor for about $3 to$5 per linear foot.  For galvanized steel gutters this goes up to between$5 and $8 per foot.  Aluminum gutters will be in the range of $4 to $8 perfoot.  Copper gutters are most often used for top-of-the-line constructionand restoration work.  You can expect to pay $20 to $35 per foot for acopper gutter system.  The good news is that copper never rusts and doesnot require paint.  Copper will also last 50 ? 100 years, so the initialexpense is outweighed by the longevity of the system. You should also carefullyexamine the contractor's warranty for the gutter system.  A new shingleroof typically has a warranted life of 2 to 5 years.  Your new guttersystem should have a warranted life of at least 2 years.

Choices : As with most things, youhave to decide what your goals are and what you can afford to invest. A mopedand a Maserati will both get you from point A to point B, but there is a greatdifference in the style and grace involved. A careful review of your needsand goals?and some consultation with and quotations from several differentcontractors?should help you develop a plan that will fulfill your needs andprovide a gutter system that will last many years.

Sock Woodruff is founder and partner of GutterSupply.com,the leading manufacturer and distributor of gutter supplies, , and related tools and equipment.