Different Types Of Gutters And Downpipes

Choosing the most suitable gutters and downpipes for your home will ensure they last a long time. There are many options in the market, and it can be challenging to distinguish what’s worth your money. Selecting durable gutters able to hold copious amounts of water is ideal.

We break down the different types of gutters and downpipes to ensure you find the best one.

Types of Guttering

The most common gutters are K-style and half-round gutters. However, there are a few other gutter types you can consider. Here is a quick overview.

Half-Round Gutters

Half-round gutters have a semi-circular structure and round downpipes. These gutters can come in five to six-inch widths. Traditional homes established before 1960 feature this gutter type, making them suitable for houses with a historical exterior or brick wall. Half-round gutters may be a requirement if you live in a historic neighbourhood.

K-Style Gutters

Among the gutter types, K-style gutters are the most common. This type of guttering is also suitable for DIY installation. Like half-round guttering, K-style gutters also come in five to six-inch widths. What sets them apart is that most K-style guttering has rectangular downpipes.

Since K-style gutters have flat backs, you can nail them on your fascia boards without needing brackets. The only setback with K-style guttering is that they are more challenging to clean as their inner sides collect more debris.

Custom Fascia Gutters

If you’re looking for a modern option, you can’t go wrong with custom-built fascia guttering. These gutter types are seamless and need installation from a professional to customise your gutters with a long piece of aluminium. The aluminium piece is custom-built based on your home’s measurements and roof pitch. As they’re customisable, these gutters are about two times more expensive than K-style and half-round guttering.

Box-Style Gutters

While you can primarily spot this guttering in commercial establishments, an expert can tailor these gutters to fit your residential property. Box-style guttering is considerable in size and specially designed to withstand heavy rainfall.

Box-style guttering is ideal for homes with larger roofs since they come in seven to eight-inch widths. Unlike standard guttering, box-style gutters are not on your roof’s edge. Instead, they utilise a high-back section that tucks under the roofing’s shingles. As a result, you can only install box-style gutters in home construction in progress.

Types of Downpipes

Downpipes are vertical tubes that carry rainwater from the gutters down to your drain on the ground. Gutters and downpipes are a package deal, and you must select downpipes compatible with your guttering. The two main types of downpipes are round and square.
• Square downpipes sit flush against a wall with dedicated clips.
• Round downpipes may either be free-standing or clip-attached to the home exterior wall.

For a modern look, square downpipes can meld seamlessly with your home. If your home is leading towards traditional, round downpipes may be the best option. Downpipes also come in various colourways to blend with your home’s exterior.

Before settling on gutters and downpipes, it’s best to seek a roofing expert’s or your contractor’s guidance on which guttering is compatible with your home. Aside from that, investigate possible gutter regulations in your city to prevent splurging on prohibited guttering in your neighbourhood. Lastly, keep your gutters clean for them to function at their peak.