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We have a 1920 Greek revival home with lead lined built in gutters. They are in desperate need of replacement. I have to rebuild the soffits as well. The problem is I only found one or two people that seem to know what needs to be done to fix them properly. Everybody is so busy they won’t return our phone calls. If anyone can share any solutions that would be great.
I can not change the style of gutter because the house is in an historically preserved district. I would very much like to fix them as soon as possible.
Thanks for any advice.
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The squeeky wheel gets the grease. Keep callin' the guys who know how to get the job done.
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I'll speak on this subject with some authority, as we just replaced 110' of the stuff on our turn-of-the-century farmhouse.
If you've gotten quotes, you're aware of the sticker shock. If not, be prepared for $60 per foot or more, depending on your location. If there is much structural repair the cost can be higher. Some gutter men will do the carpentry and some will want you to sub it out, depending on the extent of it. (P.S. - We waited over six months from when we signed the contract to when the work was started. It IS a specialized field of work.)
There are three metal options to go with; 16 oz. copper, 20 oz. copper, or 16 oz. lead coated copper. The firm we used preferred the 16 oz. lead coated copper for two reasons; it was lighter and easier to form correctly, and the lead coating gives the copper time to develop a patina, which protects the metal. This is important if you have a slate roof, because the runoff is acidic and continually etches the copper. Uncoated copper will never develop the oxides and will eventually develop pinholes.
Stay clear of individuals who use long sheets of copper to minimize seams. Go with the guys who use the 30" panels. This seems backwards at first - logic would tell you the fewer seams the better. BUT, the only place the copper is attached to the decking in the trough is at the seams. Copper expands and contracts with temperature. A continuous 10' panel will be fastened at each end (2 connections). Four 30" panels will have 5 connections for the same length, so each joint will see less stress. The result, joints that won't open up and leak.
The thing that sold me on the firm I chose was their attitude. The art of building metal gutters is almost extinct. They learned by studying the original methods used on the roofs they repaired. The old-timers did things for a reason. Modern shortcuts do more harm than good (i.e. longer panels). About the only departure from the original methods is the use of stainless steel screws. I'll accept that.
I would advise you to thoroughly insulate the attic, because these types of gutters are ice-dam city. The gutter doesn't go up the roof deck much higher than the drip edge, so eliminate heat leaks into the attic that will melt snow. Downspout outlets go through the center of the trough and through the soffit, and are susceptible to splitting in winter due to ice. Plan on inspecting these each spring to check their condition.
If your gutters are like mine, you can see into the soffit from the attic. Go up there after the work is done during a rainstorm and check for leaks. This gutter system is difficult to detect leaks in because the underside is covered. There were a couple that the contractor missed and had to come back for.
On the plus side, you preserve the looks of the roofline. the gutters should last 60 years or so if done properly. Don't let anyone goop them up with asphalt as a quick repair. Leaks can be resoldered and repaired indefinitely if the surface hasn't been asphalted.
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tc... where are u ?
my buddy kept the gutters and slate roofs of westchester county , ny.. in good repair for 25 years ..
now he works here in ri with me ...
he loves copper and slate and built-in gutters..
BTW.. jim kunka pretty much nails it.. the only thing i wud add is thta almost every installation is different for built-ins...
*James I appreciate your info. I was wondering what part of the country you are from? I live in Wisconsin. I learned more in your letter than I had from any of the guys I talked to about them. One guy said they use caulk and pop rivets to make there joints. That was not the answer I wanted to here. Again thanks for sharing your experience. T.C.
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Tim,
I'm living in Richmond, VA. We obviously have different winter conditions than you, but we do get some severe icing in the winter months.
The people knowledgeable with metal gutters seem to be concentrated in the cities that have historic districts. They set up shop where the clients are, I guess. Good luck to you in finding a competent source.
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We have a 1920 Greek revival home with lead lined built in gutters. They are in desperate need of replacement. I have to rebuild the soffits as well. The problem is I only found one or two people that seem to know what needs to be done to fix them properly. Everybody is so busy they won't return our phone calls. If anyone can share any solutions that would be great.
I can not change the style of gutter because the house is in an historically preserved district. I would very much like to fix them as soon as possible.
Thanks for any advice.