Replies

1. 
   Dave_Matheny | Sep 20, 1999 05:45am | #7

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   Salem:

   The theory behind gutters is to remove water from the area adjacent to your foundation. If you want to cut down on water problems with your slab or basement, I sure wouldn't use Rainhandlers. It seems to me that they just spread the water droplets out to the same area you are trying to keep free of water!

   Dave Matheny

2. 
   Guest_ | Sep 20, 1999 05:51am | #8

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   For installation solo - I was quite pleased with the Plastmo. I used the 5" half rounds for appearance reasons and found them easy to screw up brackets and snap pieces in. Especially like disassembly for painting behind, etc.

1. 
   Guest_ | Sep 21, 1999 06:36pm | #9

   *Well, after a weeks vacation to recover from my gutter trauma, I'm glad to hear that gutter hatred is not exclusive to me. I think I'll be taking your approach FredL next time around... Sam

3. 
   Bill_Richardson | Sep 22, 1999 12:33am | #10

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   I hate gutters too and especially at this time of year. I hate cleaning them out and making sure the gutter guard or down spout screen is still there or in useable condition. Plus, while I'm up there I'm checking around for rot and ruin and all other hidden areas the squirels love. Now I know what needs to be replaced or painted. Good luck to you anyhow.

1. 
   Paul_Becker | Sep 29, 1999 07:15am | #11

   *I am learning to hate gutters but for a different reason. I have a New England cape built in the 50's. The lines of the house are helped by the details and moldings associated with the fir gutters. The problem is the prior (original) owner did nothing to maintain the gutters and now I am trying to repair many rotten areas, especially at the downspouts and corners. I tried bondo but that only held for about 2 years. The water just soaks all around the patch and volume changes between the material eventually lifts the patch along with more wood. The extent of decay is ever increasing. The question I have; Is there any type of gutter "liner" (copper, alum, plastic) designed to match and fit inside the older fir profiles. I think a liner would keep the wood dry enough to allow an epoxy or bondo exterior cosmetic repair to salvage the gutter. Any ideas?? Has anyone come across such a product?

4. 
   Guest_ | Sep 30, 1999 05:36am | #12

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   Ok, an honest answer here folks, how many of you REALLY like working with gutters? Putting one of those miserable things up the other day (single handed I might add) and I was ready to hit the hard stuff by the time I was done (actually, before I was done). Seems like no matter how careful I think I'm being those things never turn out quite to my satisfaction.....

   S.

1. 
   Guest_ | Sep 11, 1999 11:08am | #1

   *Ditto fred. The thing about gutters I hate the most is pounding overhead while 40 years worth of crap falls into your eyes. Although I did once hang a one piece 76 foot section of gutter by myself. Now THAT was a feat.Pete Draganic

1. 
   Guest_ | Sep 11, 1999 08:30pm | #2

   *Absolutely not, I to have a hatred for gutters so bad that I think a house could almost benefit by not having them and having wider overhangs instead. The only good thing that I like about them is they way they collect water for cisterns, and the amount of work I get from rotten facia calls.

1. 
   Guest_ | Sep 11, 1999 10:50pm | #3

   *Any piece less than 45 ft. is easy work. A 76'piece is hardly self supporting( It must have been a completely windless day) Try ode' screw hangers(completely hiddden inside the gutter) very secure,fast and no pounding.

1. 
   Guest_ | Sep 12, 1999 07:08am | #4

   *I was considering designing around gutters for new construction. I came up with large overhangs; stone/brick/masonry near grade; Impermeable "apron" at grade around perimeter of foundation (sidewalks, etc. A russian engineer told me they use tar) leading to as tile; wide trench drains; Or lanscape with washed gravels or stone leading to a drain tile arouns perimeter.If I could find gutters that really were OK with leaves, pine needles, and windblown crap I wouldn't care. I am thinking up ways to make self-cleaning conventional gutters, but no luck yet. At least nothing viab

2. 
   salem | Sep 18, 1999 10:01pm | #5

   *Has anybody tried those Rainhandler rain dispersal systems? They're like louvers that turn the run-off back into raindrops - apparently. I'm going to order a section and give it a try. They have a website. http://www.rainhandler.

3. 
   Guest_ | Sep 18, 1999 11:23pm | #6

   *The Florida neighborhood where I live is composed mostly of frame houses built in the '20's. The design of the roofs and eaves was to keep the sun out of windows and water away from the house without the use of gutters. The rafters extend about two feet beyond the walls to form eaves. The rafter ends were left exposed with no soffit, and either cut with decorative patterns or covered with a fascia board. False eaves were built across the bottoms of gables. Doors were placed in the gable ends or false gables were built above the doors to redirect water off to the sides. I had to put gutters on my house because the builder screwed up and put the front door right beneath a valley. During a vigorous thunderstorm, people coming in had to run through a waterfall before gaining shelter under the eave. I sometime think I would have done better to move the front door. People usually planted azaleas - a water-hungry plant- underneath the valleys to prevent the falling water from digging a hole in the lawn.

5. 
   Guest_ | Sep 30, 1999 05:36am | #13

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   The biggest problem we run into is people not overhanging their shingles properly. The water misses the gutter and ends up running under the shingles and destroying the sheathing. Ice dam is probably one of the best products ever made. We use it all the time for low pitch roofs and for the first 3 feet up on all other roofs. Seamless gutters, subbed out, is the way to go.