Eavestrough Installation
High-Capacity Drainage Built for Western Canadian Conditions
Sized for your roof. Pitched for maximum flow. Sealed at every joint. Built to handle what this climate throws at them.
Eavestroughs are the channels that collect every drop of water your roof sheds and direct it away from your home. When they’re undersized, improperly pitched, or poorly sealed, water overflows behind the fascia, cascades down exterior walls, and pools around the foundation. In winter, frozen eavestroughs contribute to ice dam formation and add destructive weight to your roofline.
Our installations are engineered for Western Canadian conditions—heavy spring snowmelt, summer storm intensity, and winter ice loads that would destroy lightweight or improperly supported systems.
What Our Eavestrough Installation Includes
Material Selection
We install aluminum eavestroughs in either 0.027” (standard residential) or 0.032” (heavy gauge for high snow load or steel roof homes) gauges. Aluminum is the optimal material for Western Canada: it’s rust-proof, lightweight, holds paint well, and flexes with temperature changes rather than cracking. We do not install vinyl eavestroughs; they become brittle in cold weather and shatter under hail or ice impact.
Sizing
Standard 5” K-style profiles for most residential homes. 6” profiles recommended for large roof areas, steep pitches, or high-volume drainage zones. We calculate the required capacity based on your roof’s square footage, pitch, and the number of downspout outlets.
Pitch & Flow
Every eavestrough run is pitched at approximately 1/4 inch per 10 feet of run toward the nearest downspout. This ensures water flows efficiently to the outlets rather than ponding in the trough. Standing water in unpitched eavestroughs accelerates corrosion, attracts mosquitoes, and adds unnecessary weight.
Hidden Hanger System
We use hidden hangers (brackets that clip inside the trough and screw into the fascia with threaded fasteners). They’re invisible from the street and provide far superior holding power compared to the old spike-and-ferrule method. Hanger spacing at a maximum of 24 inches; closer spacing (16–18 inches) in high snow load zones for additional structural support.
Sealed Joints
Every joint between eavestrough sections is sealed with professional-grade gutter sealant rated for the freeze-thaw cycling these joints endure. Silicone caulk is not used; it doesn’t bond well to aluminum in cold conditions.
Fascia Inspection & Repair
Before installing new eavestroughs, we inspect the fascia board for rot, water damage, or structural weakness. Mounting new eavestroughs on compromised fascia guarantees premature failure. Damaged fascia is repaired or replaced before installation proceeds.
Old System Removal & Cleanup
Complete removal of the old eavestrough system, including hangers, spikes, and fasteners. Full cleanup and debris removal from the site.
Why Eavestroughs Matter More Than You Think
A properly installed eavestrough system protects three critical parts of your home simultaneously:
The Fascia
The fascia board is the vertical surface to which eavestroughs are attached. When water overflows behind the eavestrough—from improper pitch, blockages, or undersized capacity—it saturates the fascia and begins the rot cycle. Rotted fascia can’t hold the eavestrough, creating a cascading failure that damages the roof edge, the soffit, and the wall assembly below.
The Foundation
Every roof sheds thousands of litres of water annually. Without properly pitched eavestroughs and downspouts directing that water away, it pools around the foundation, seeps into the basement, erodes soil, and can cause structural settlement over time. Foundation repair costs dwarf the price of a proper drainage system.
The Roof Edge
In winter, frozen eavestroughs prevent meltwater from draining. Water backs up at the eaves, contributes to ice dam formation, and adds weight stress that pulls eavestroughs and fascia away from the roofline. Properly functioning eavestroughs are a critical part of ice dam prevention.
Common Eavestrough Problems
- Sagging eavestroughs from spike-and-ferrule hangers that have pulled out of the fascia — freeze-thaw cycling “jacks” nails out over time
- Leaking joints from failed sealant or thermal expansion cracking the connections
- Overflow during heavy rain from undersized 4” eavestroughs that can’t handle the roof’s water volume
- Ice damage from frozen water expanding inside the trough, deforming the aluminum profile
- Improper pitch causing standing water, corrosion, and mosquito breeding
- Rotted fascia under the eavestrough from years of unnoticed overflow behind the trough
- Missing or disconnected downspouts, allowing water to freefall to the foundation
How We Fix Eavestrough Installation
We don’t guess. We measure, diagnose, and correct the balance. Here’s our process:
Step 1: Measure Existing Capacity
We calculate the existing intake and exhaust capacity against the 1:300 ratio for your attic’s insulated ceiling area. This tells us exactly how far out of balance the system is, and where the shortfall lies.
Step 2: Identify Blockages
We check every soffit vent for blockages (insulation pushed into the cavity, painted-over screens, debris accumulation). We also verify that exhaust vents are clear and functional.
Step 3: Evaluate Vent Types
Mixed exhaust vent types (ridge + box, ridge + turbine) are identified and assessed for short-circuiting. We recommend a unified exhaust strategy that functions as a single system rather than competing components.
Step 4: Check Fan Routing
Bathroom and kitchen exhaust fans are verified for proper exterior routing. Fans venting into the attic (a severe code violation) pump enormous volumes of moisture directly into the roof system. This single deficiency can destroy a roof from the inside out within a few years.
Step 5: Install or Correct
Based on findings, we install soffit baffles, add or replace exhaust vents, clear blocked intakes, re-route improperly vented fans, and restore the intake-exhaust balance. Every correction is documented with before-and-after photographs.
Eavestrough Questions
How long do aluminum eavestroughs last?
Should I choose 5-inch or 6-inch eavestroughs?
What gauge aluminum should I use?
Can eavestroughs be installed on a house with no fascia board?
Do you install seamless eavestroughs?
How do I know when to replace vs. repair?
