Gutter Installation on Steel Roofs

Steel Roofs

• Metal roofs have been used on houses and buildings for generations. Once installed, low-maintenance metals roofs last for decades. Today, stainless steel is especially useful in situations where a metal roof is desired, but corrosion may be a consideration. The typical stainless steel roof contains zinc- and tin-coated 304 stainless steel. Because of their thickness, steel and other metal roofs, especially those designed as slate, raise the roof level.

Installation

• Gutters installed on metal roofs should be hung as high as they possible while still permitting slopes for correct draining. Mounting them high prevents rainwater from overshooting the gutters. If the roof is exceptionally large, use 6-inch rather than the typical 5-inch gutters. Use brackets or other means of hanging the gutters that only attach to the fascia rather than those that reach the roof deck. If gutters are mounted as high as allowed, the back legs of the gutters extend under the steel roof's drip edge.

Drip Edge

• You may need to penetrate or notch off the steel roof's drip edge to allow for hangers. Certain steel roof systems necessitate that the section beneath the roof, the underlayment, lap over the the edge of the eave, in back of the drip edge. If your roof is built this way, locate the gutter's back leg behind the underlayment and in back of the drip edge. That guides condensation that might otherwise seep into the underlayment into the gutter instead.

Stainless Steel Gutters

• You might consider stainless steel gutters to match your steel roof. These attractive, shiny, long-lived gutters do not rust and are virtually indestructible. Stainless steel gutters are an exceptionally good choice in hurricane-prone areas or hard climates. Proper installation is the key to successful use of stainless steel gutters, so make sure your installer is familiar with gutter installation not only on steel roofs but also of stainless steel gutters.