A heavy rain, flowing down house walls to the ground below, can cause a great deal of damage. At the very least, it taxes paint and wriggles into cracks, contributing to eventual, long-term decay. At its worst, it foils windows, invades walls, and undermines foundations. Gutters protect your home from water damage as well as adding visual appeal.

Gutters on older homes may be wood, galvanized sheet metal, or copper. Newer gutters are usually aluminum or vinyl. Do-it-yourself metal and vinyl types are fitted together from 10-foot-long gutter sections and a variety of corner connectors, end caps and other components. Vinyl gutter systems are favored by some because they are lightweight and can be easily snapped or glued together. Professionally installed seamless gutters are extruded from pre-coated aluminum in long single runs at the site.

The standard square-edge style is also called the "box" style. It has sharp, boxy, square edges, and you see this on a lot of commercial sites. The "ogee detail" style, which looks somewhat like an exterior crown molding, is also called "K-style." It's slightly more decorative, giving your home's exterior a more finished look.

Gutters on older homes may be wood, galvanized sheet metal, or copper. Newer gutters are usually aluminum or vinyl. Do-it-yourself metal and vinyl gutters are fitted together from 10-foot-long gutter sections and a variety of corner connectors, end caps, and other components. Vinyl gutter systems are favored by some because they are lightweight and can be easily snapped or glued together. Professionally installed seamless gutters are extruded from pre-coated aluminum in very long single runs at the site.

Aluminum gutters

Aluminum is a moderately priced and rust-resistant material popular with newer installations. It comes unfinished or factory-painted. The downside is that aluminum tends to leak at joints because the metal expands and contracts too much for sealant to hold permanently. It dents easily.

Galvanized metal gutters

Galvanized gutters are a strong and inexpensive choice for your gutters. They can rust.

PVC gutters

Vinyl, or PVC, is a tough, maintenance-free, moderately-priced material popular with newer installations.

Wood gutters

Wood gutters aren't very popular anymore for the simple reason that their interiors must be resealed about every two years. It should be very dry when you decide to do this. Sand the wood, apply wood preservative and lastly, apply two coats of asphalt-aluminum roof paint.

Copper gutters

Copper is an expensive gutter material that is strong, durable, rust-resistant and nearly maintenance free. It will weather green unless you coat it with a clear sealant. It needs to be installed by a professional.