Don’t choose the wrong gutter material. Many homeowners are happy to settle for the cheapest available gutter material but cheaper isn’t always better. Vinyl works great for home siding, but it isn’t rugged enough to be the best choice for gutters. Metal works better. Which metal? Copper is really the “gold standard,” but it’s expensive and also requires some specialized labor and tools for installation. Galvalume steel and aluminum are some more affordable metal choices.

Do choose the right gutter profile & size for your roof. Think about the total square footage of your roof, and factor in how much precipitation your area typically gets. The bigger your roof, the bigger your gutters need to be in order to accommodate the volumes of water they will receive. Don’t forget about roof pitch, either. The steeper your roof, the faster it’ll shed water. Make sure to choose a gutter profile & size that can handle any fast accumulations of precipitation.

Don’t space your gutter hangers too far apart. Many homeowners make the mistake of spacing gutter hangers too far apart, or simply not installing enough hangers to begin with. The result is that gutters are prone to sag or pull away, which can result in costly damage to your structure. As a general rule, you should space gutter hangers no more than 3 feet apart. And if you get significant snow or ice, shorten that spacing to every 2 feet.

Do make sure to pitch gutters correctly. Gutters shouldn’t be hung level; they actually need some side pitch in order for water to flow properly to the downspouts. Too little pitch can produce standing water, while too much pitch can overflow your downspouts. The ideal gutter placement angle will vary based upon gutter size and profile, but a good rule of thumb is to shoot for a rise of ½” for every 10 feet of gutter.

Don’t get your downspout positioning wrong. The number and position of downspouts are very important. It’s ideal to position downspouts at corners whenever possible. Experts say that no downspout should ever cover more than 20 linear feet of gutter, and stretches longer than that should have downspouts positioned at both ends of the run. Experts also say that runs of longer than 40 feet should have a downspout placed in the middle, too.

Do seal gutter seams properly, and avoid having too many seams. Another potential source of problems is having too many gutter seams, or simply not sealing seams properly. Every seam and point of connection can become a potential source of leaks, so you want to pay close attention when sealing these areas.