[andyhome]

Hi,
We have several gutters that are constantly getting clogged and then water overflows and slides along the side of our house and windows damaging the wood and paint. I'm too old to climb up a ladder to clear them out every 6 weeks and was going to do the following: take off the end caps and extend the gutters 12" beyond the side of the house so that the water flows freely when the leaders are clogged.

Directly below where the gutters would now empty is concrete and bushes so the falling water would not be damaging anything below. And as far as the foundation is concerned ... this will not make the situation any worse because it is physically impossible to run the leaders away from the house.

I've attached fotos of the two gutters whose caps I would remove. i would leave the leaders attached.

Seems like removing the end caps makes perfect sense but i'm asking because "you never know"...

 

[RRH]

I did that on a shed I once had under a lot of trees. And worked out fine for years.
I just took the end cap off and did not extend.

After many years added gutter guards to my house and also that shed.

 

[Old Thomas]

My farm has some without end caps. It works but is sounds like a cow pissing on a flat rock.

 

[SeniorSitizen]

I'll never have gutters installed on another house but if i should buy another house with gutters that's what would happen with those. The sound isn't so common if a big decorative rock is installed on a angle.

 

[mark sr]

I don't have gutters on my house, don't really need them. But I did install a short piece of gutter with no ends over the steps to the front porch. That was about 20 yrs ago - still works fine.

 

[andyhome]

Thanks. I'm glad it's something people do. My wife is from South America where gutters are rare and she always points out how unnecessary they are IF THE ROOFS are just built a little bit longer so they extend 18-24" beyond the walls. In my neighborhood in a NYC suburb cleaning is a big business - $450 twice a year which is something to avoid if you can.

How hard is it to get an endcap off? Are they screwed in or glued in? Do you need a special solvent?

Thanks.

 

[mark sr]

They usually have a pop rivet along with sealant.

 

[Old Thomas]

Some are riveted and some are crimped on. Hit it from the inside with a hammer and it will come off.

 

[ktownskier]

You can also hang a gutter chain off the end. It will help soften the sound of Cow Pissing on a Flat Rock.

Here is an example: