I had a new roof put on my home about 5 or 6 years ago. After a while I noticed I didn't have any rain gutters and the rain from the roof runs off and down the outside stairways that lead to my basement. The young man who did the job said, "Well, you didn't have any rain gutters when I did the job."

I'm a young widow and I don't know what to do. Do I just hire someone else to put rain gutters on now? What kind of gutters? Have you anyone you could recommend? I'd appreciate your help. Thank you.

You touch on a subject very close to home. A couple of years ago I needed someone to put rain gutters on my new shop. I must have called every rain gutter contractor in the phone book to set an appointment. Most were a no show, and the contractors who did show up were not interested in my needs or wants with regard to my project. However, one company was willing to work with me, and I was very pleased with the quality of their work.

To briefly answer your question, I think if the roofing contractor you used also does gutter systems, then you should consider hiring them to also do the gutters on your house.

Personally, I would lean more toward hiring a company that specializes in this field; find one in the Yellow pages under "Gutters."

There are many different types, sizes, and decorator colors of rain gutters on the market today, and all those factors affect the price. Price is also based on the complexity of the system you want to install, how far off the ground the fascia boards (eaves) are, and the overall roof design.

As you research a gutter system appropriate for your home, I recommend that you consider aluminum over steel and that you install a seamless system. Keep in mind, also, that gutters require annual maintenance so they flow freely. Basically, that involves washing out the silt and granules from composition roofs and removing any leaves, pine needles, and other debris.

To minimize maintenance, have a gutter guard installed to help keep out leaves and pine needles. Gutter guards, which act as a helmet over the gutter, are sold under many trade names and styles, from perforated to solid surface. Speaking purely from a maintenance standpoint, I would lean toward installing a solid gutter guard.

When the system is completely installed and before the contractor leaves, make sure that all downspouts drain away from the building with a long splash block. You don't want any runoff coming back into your home. You can also install a rain barrel to preserve water for your plants. To learn more about it, go to www.watersavers.com.

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C.R.S., Inc. · Spokane, Washington · USA