You’ve decided the old gutters have to go. Now you’ve got a couple of quotes that list a price per foot and not much else, and you can’t tell whether either one will fix the overflow problem that started all this. Gutter installation in Overland Park looks simple from the ground, but whether the new system works in a June downpour comes down to details most quotes never mention.
You don’t need to become a gutter expert. You just need someone to measure your roof, explain the plan and install it so you stop thinking about it.
APC Roofing installs seamless gutters across the Kansas City metro. We’re GAF Certified, licensed and insured, roofing since 2017, and your estimate is free. Call 913-398-5020 to set up a time.
Gutter installation in Overland Park starts at the roof
The amount of water a gutter has to carry depends on the roof above it, not the length of the wall. A good install starts by looking at:
- How much roof drains to each run. A long back slope can send several times the water of a short front porch roof.
- How steep the roof is. Steeper roofs shed water faster and harder, which can shoot it over the front edge of a small gutter.
- Where valleys land. A valley gathers water from two slopes and drops it into one short stretch of gutter. That’s where overflow usually starts.
With those numbers, the gutter size and the number and size of downspouts can be matched to the roof. Many older homes have gutters and downspouts that are too small for the roof they serve, which is why they overflow even when they’re clean.
Seamless gutters, formed to your house
Seamless aluminum gutters are formed from a coil to the exact length of each run, so there are no joints along the straight sections. Corners and downspout outlets are the only seams, and those get sealed and fastened carefully. Fewer joints means fewer places for drips and leaks to start. For more on the material and profiles, see our seamless gutters in Overland Park page.
The details that decide whether gutters work
Slope
A gutter needs a slight, steady fall toward each downspout so water doesn’t sit in it. Too little slope leaves standing water that freezes in winter and breeds mosquitoes in summer. Too much makes the gutter look crooked along the house. Long runs often slope both ways to a downspout in the middle.
Hangers and the fascia
Gutters hang from the fascia board at the roof’s edge, held by hangers fastened into solid wood. In Kansas, those hangers have to carry ice and snow in winter, not just rain. Close spacing and long fasteners into sound wood are what keep a gutter from sagging after the first heavy freeze. If the fascia is soft or rotted, it gets repaired or replaced first. APC Roofing handles fascia and soffit work too, so that can happen in the same project.
The roof edge
Metal drip edge along the roof’s edge should direct water into the gutter, not behind it. When water runs behind the gutter, it soaks the fascia and can stain the siding below. The gutter’s height on the fascia has to work with that edge.
Downspouts and where the water goes
A downspout that dumps water right at the foundation undoes most of the gutter’s work. Each one needs an extension, splash block or another path that carries water away from the house and toward ground that slopes away. Downspout placement also matters at ground level. Nobody wants one emptying across a walkway that will ice over in January.
Timing your gutter installation
If your roof is due for replacement, install the new gutters after the roof is done. Old gutters often get bent when shingles and drip edge come off, and installing gutters last lets the roof edge, drip edge and gutters line up properly. Our Overland Park gutters page covers the bigger picture, including fascia and storm damage.
Gutters can go up most of the year. Your estimate will include a realistic timeline for your house.
Storm-damaged gutters
Hail dents and wind-bent sections are often part of the same storm that damaged a roof. If you file a claim, you pay your deductible, and we document the damage, write the estimate and work with your adjuster. Be wary of anyone who offers to waive or cover your deductible. If the roof itself took hail, our hail damage roof repair in Overland Park page explains what to look for.
How it works
- Book your free estimate. Call 913-398-5020 or request a free online estimate.
- Get a clear, honest assessment and estimate. You’ll see the gutter and downspout sizes your roof calls for, where the downspouts will go and whether any fascia needs work first. Financing is available through Aqua Finance, Fortifi, Hearth and Home Run Finance.
- Your gutters get installed and the site gets cleaned up. The crew finishes the work and cleans up before leaving.
Overflowing gutters soak the soil along your foundation with every storm. A properly sized system fixes the cause instead of the symptoms.
Gutter installation questions
How long does gutter installation take?
It depends on the size of the house and whether any fascia needs repair first. You’ll get a timeline with your estimate.
What size gutters should I get?
That depends on your roof’s area, pitch and valleys. Many homes do better with a larger gutter and bigger downspouts than they have now.
How many downspouts do I need?
Enough to carry the water from each run without overflowing. Long runs and runs below valleys often need more than one.
Should new gutters go on before or after a new roof?
After. That way the roof edge and drip edge are finished first and the gutters line up with them.
Book your free gutter estimate
Call 913-398-5020 or start your estimate online. You’ll end up with gutters that keep up with a Kansas thunderstorm, a dry foundation and a quote you actually understand.
