# Metal Roof and gutters nightmare!!!



## huggies

A client has a steep metal roof with gutters that got ripped out last year after a heavy snow fall. 

Some older contractors in the area are telling me not to install gutters on a metal roof, others say to try installing rails to hold the snow back on the roof. What's the solution, I've been fixing these gutters for the last couple of years, and now one side is gone, and the other is really bent out of shape. I don't want to recommend new gutters and those get ripped out too. 

The house sits on a hill, but there is a small flower bed (about 2m wide) right next to the wall w/o gutters. Can't install any extra drainage in the ground as there is well established bushes right below the drip line. There's been no moisture issues as we can see in the walk out basement (soil comes up about 4-6 feet depending on the area on the wall w/o gutters). 

Would plastic gutters be best, since they can be removed before snow fall? 

Thanks for your help.


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## seeyou

Snow guards or snow rails if gutters are necessary.


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## OldNBroken

Plastic gutters = BAD
On a metal roof, especially a steep one, proper snow retention is necessary along with the gutters. Also gutters need to be sufficient gage and properly installed. Cheap standard seamless gutters installed with the cheap standard clips are not good enough on that roof. 
Commercial grade gutters and snow retention are the way you want to go.
Don't know what type of roof it is so can't give you specifics. We spec s-5! on all our jobs, very nice system.


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## Grumpy

Snow guards and snow rails would be important. However I wouldn;t mind installing an oversized gutter without rails if the budget prevented rails... but the gutters must be properly isntalled. By proper, I mean that the fasteners from the gutter brackets must be secured into the rafters, through the fascia and into the rafters. Most gutter installers simply fasten the fasteners randomly into the fascia, and then it's no wonder the gutters, and sometimes fascia board, fall off. 

Also I generally prefer to intall oversized 6" gutters on a metal roof. Furthermore I almost always install an .032 aluminum gutter, even on shingle roof. The .027 just is junk... and certainly not the .024 that home cheapo sells.... Then again the material of the gutter should match the material of the roof. If the roof is aluminum, I would install aluminum gutter. If the roof is steel, I would install steel gutter. 24 gauge steel gutter is an awesome product. It can be prepainted just like aluminum gutter. 

Second is the height of the gutter... the gutter should sit approximately 1" below the plane of the roof. I know on shingle roofs we like to sit the gutter as tight to the roof as possible, but on metal roof, there is so much slide that some of this must simply be shed away and over the gutter. But in a perfect worl there would be some kind of slide guard or snow guard on the roof to also protect the gutter. 


Plastic gutters are a joke. Enough said about that.


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## Capital Gutters

*Attach gutters to roof, not the fascia.*

Anytime I put gutters on a metal roof(14 years now), I install the gutter with straps that attach to the roof, rather than the fascia. Gutters attached to the fascia will be pushed off by sliding ice. Attaching the hangers to the rafter tails is a good idea IF the hangers are screwed to the front lip of the gutter. If they are not, the ice will peel the hanger flat and the the gutters are useless. So I alwasy use Vampire Hangers with 2 screws(1 1/2" long) into the steel roof and the plywood underneath.

Madison Roofing
Madison Siding


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## Capital Gutters

Definitely agree that plastic gutters are a joke!

Madison Roofing
Madison Siding


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## becllc

Snow retention is a necessity, you need to install per instructions, not just at the eave. An another option is to install the gutter low enough that the when the snow slides off in mass, it passes over the top of the gutter, rain won't do this. As shown in the NRCA or SMACNA manual. don't recall which.


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## Red Adobe

I use a custom 5" box guttter made where they make the panels, made from same 26ga steel so it meets hail req by most ins co. it goese 6in up the roof and I use 1" straps from lowside to top of ridges every 3'. its not the easiest to seem but it holds up well to heavy snow loads

Ive seen angle iron screwed to top of the ribs 3ft or so up the pitch on the homes in the mountains here


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## kam13

Red Adobe said:


> I use a custom 5" box guttter made where they make the panels, made from same 26ga steel so it meets hail req by most ins co. it goese 6in up the roof and I use 1" straps from lowside to top of ridges every 3'. its not the easiest to seem but it holds up well to heavy snow loads
> 
> Ive seen angle iron screwed to top of the ribs 3ft or so up the pitch on the homes in the mountains here


Roughly ,we would do the following;
1. use Kynar steel 24 gauge
2. hang lower then slope of roof
3. use ice/snow retention
4. interior gutter support every 16 in
5.heat cables Raychem h612 see my website for 1/2 off
6 stiffener in front bead of gutter
7.no roof penetrations

also use 20 ounce copper:thumbsup:


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## HEINC

kam13 said:


> Roughly ,we would do the following;
> 1. use Kynar steel 24 gauge
> 2. hang lower then slope of roof
> 3. use ice/snow retention
> 4. interior gutter support every 16 in
> 5.heat cables Raychem h612 see my website for 1/2 off
> 6 stiffener in front bead of gutter
> 7.no roof penetrations
> 
> also use 20 ounce copper:thumbsup:


Any suggestions on a good tool for cutting 29ga hidden fastener metal panels? This stuff is a bear to cut.


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## OldNBroken

HEINC said:


> Any suggestions on a good tool for cutting 29ga hidden fastener metal panels? This stuff is a bear to cut.


cutting it in-place or cutting it to install it? 29ga is almost like cutting foil. A set of Midwest offsets or this...


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## HEINC

Renegade said:


> cutting it in-place or cutting it to install it? 29ga is almost like cutting foil. A set of Midwest offsets or this...


Cutting it to install. I'm not sure what ga then. Its from Menard's same ga as usual corrugated panels. Just has a lock lip like siding. I have good snips and Malco shears. Was told that using an abrasive blade or cut off wheel is forbidden.


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## OldNBroken

HEINC said:


> Cutting it to install. I'm not sure what ga then. Its from Menard's same ga as usual corrugated panels. Just has a lock lip like siding. I have good snips and Malco shears. Was told that using an abrasive blade or cut off wheel is forbidden.


This is not an abrasive blade, they will burn the finish. In good hands this blade cuts like butter.


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## HEINC

Renegade said:


> This is not an abrasive blade, they will burn the finish. In good hands this blade cuts like butter.


I think I'll give that a try. Thank you.


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## kam13

HEINC said:


> Any suggestions on a good tool for cutting 29ga hidden fastener metal panels? This stuff is a bear to cut.


snips ...hybrids half way between aviation snips and large shears


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