Gutter Installation

5" K-style is the residential default — handles a 600-800 sq ft roof area per downspout, the right size for most NJ Capes, Colonials, and ranches with moderate pitch and average rainfall.

6" K-style moves about 40% more water per linear foot and handles 1,200+ sq ft per downspout. The right call when: roof pitch exceeds 9/12 (water hits the gutter faster than it can drain), the elevation collects from a wide drainage area (long ranch eaves, valley discharges), the home is in a shore county with intense summer thunderstorm bursts, or 5" gutters on the property are already overflowing during heavy rain.

Industrial 7" gutters are an option on large commercial and high-end residential where 6" still can't keep up. Less common — we spec when the drainage math requires it.

The other factor in profile selection is fascia depth. 6" K-style requires at least a 6-inch fascia board to anchor properly; on older NJ homes with 1×4 or 1×6 fascia we recommend a fascia rebuild or fascia wrap before upsizing.

Aluminum (.027" or .032" thickness) — the default. Won't rust, takes baked-enamel finish in 20+ colors, lasts 25-30 years. We use .032" (heavier than the .027" most installers stock) for better dent resistance from ladders and hail. Right for 90% of NJ residential.

Copper — 50-100 year service life, develops a green patina over 5-10 years. Premium look on historic homes, landmark properties, and architect-designed projects. Carries a significant premium over aluminum and requires soldered joints at corners (we solder; we don't pop-rivet). Common spec on properties in Princeton, Madison, Cape May, and Saddle River.

Galvalume steel (.024") — zinc-aluminum coated steel, heavier than aluminum, holds up well in coastal exposures. Less common than aluminum but the right call when you need extra structural strength (e.g., supporting heavy ice loads in northwest NJ).

Pre-painted steel (Kynar 500 finish) — the long-haul color option. 30-year finish warranty, 40+ year service life. Higher upfront than aluminum but doesn't fade or chalk like baked-enamel aluminum does after 15-20 years of UV.

Shore-county installations get stainless-steel hangers and screws regardless of gutter material — galvanized hangers corrode within 5-7 years in salt air. We default to stainless on every install in Cape May, Atlantic, Ocean, and Monmouth counties.

Hidden-hanger spacing. We install hidden hangers (internal bracket screwed through the gutter back into the fascia) every 24 inches, dropping to 16 inches in the snow-load zones of Sussex, Warren, and northwest Morris counties. Production-crew installs typically use 32-48 inch spacing — gutters sag in 2-3 years under a heavy wet-snow load.

Drainage pitch. Gutters need a slight slope toward the downspout — 1/4 inch per 10 feet is the target. Too flat and water sits and breeds mosquitoes; too steep and the gutter looks crooked and short-fills upstream. We use a laser level on every run.

Downspout outlet placement. Downspouts every 35-40 feet maximum on 5" gutters, every 50 feet on 6". Corners and dead-end terminations get an outlet to avoid water backing up the run.

Downspout routing at grade. The downspout has to discharge somewhere — splash blocks at minimum, ideally 6-foot or longer extensions, or tied into buried drainage that runs to daylight or a dry well. Discharging at the foundation is the leading cause of basement water in NJ homes.

Sealed end caps and outlets. We seal every end cap and outlet with polyurethane sealant (Sika 1A), not silicone caulk. Silicone fails at 5-7 years; polyurethane holds 15-20.