Most homeowners ignore their eavestroughs until there's a problem. By then, the damage can extend from your fascia all the way down to your foundation. Here's what you need to know.
Eavestroughs — what most Canadians call gutters — are the drainage system for your entire roof. Every time it rains or snow melts, water is funnelled off your roof surface and directed away from your home. When that system fails, water has nowhere to go but where you don't want it: against your foundation, behind your siding, into your basement, or pooling against your fascia and soffits.
It's one of the most overlooked parts of home maintenance in the GTA. It's also one of the cheapest to maintain — and one of the most expensive to fix when ignored too long.
The standard recommendation is twice a year — once in late spring (after tree seeds finish falling) and once in late fall (after the leaves are done). If you have large deciduous trees overhanging your roofline, you may need three cleanings per year.
In the GTA, the fall cleaning is the more critical one. Gutters loaded with wet leaves heading into freeze-up become ice-filled, heavy, and useless — and the weight of ice can pull fasteners out of the fascia or tear sections right off your home.
Most common cause: clogged gutters. Water has nowhere to go and pours over the side — right against your foundation.
Fasteners pull out of the fascia over time — especially if gutters have held ice weight. Sagging sections don't drain properly and collect water.
Streaks on your siding directly below the gutter line indicate leaking joints or end caps. The sealant inside deteriorates over 5–10 years.
If downspouts discharge too close to the foundation, or if extensions are missing, water travels straight down the foundation wall.
Gutters that overflow repeatedly saturate the wooden fascia behind them. Rotted fascia can't hold eavestrough fasteners and eventually requires full replacement.
Clogged gutters trap meltwater in fall. As temperatures drop, that water freezes solid — adding significant weight and contributing to ice dam formation.
Gutter hangers or spikes pull out of the fascia over time. Replacing them with longer screws or new hidden hanger brackets is a straightforward repair that extends the life of otherwise-good gutters.
Sectional gutters have joints every 10–12 feet. The butyl sealant inside eventually cracks and fails. Re-applying gutter sealant to leaking joints is a simple repair that stops staining and dripping.
Downspouts should discharge at least 4–6 feet from the foundation. Adding a downspout extension is one of the cheapest basement waterproofing moves available — often under $30 in materials.
When sections are too damaged or corroded to repair, individual sections can be replaced without replacing the entire system.
| Property | Aluminum | Vinyl |
|---|---|---|
| Freeze-thaw performance | ✅ Handles well, flexes slightly | ❌ Becomes brittle, cracks in cold |
| Longevity in GTA climate | ✅ 20+ years | ⚠️ 10–15 years (with cracking) |
| Rust resistance | ✅ Doesn't rust | ✅ Doesn't rust |
| Cost | Slightly higher | Slightly lower |
| Our recommendation | ✅ Yes | ❌ Not for Ontario |
Vinyl gutters might save a few dollars upfront, but they crack in Ontario winters — sometimes within a few years. Aluminum is the standard for a reason. We exclusively install aluminum eavestroughs.
Gutter guards reduce how often you need to clean your gutters — but they don't eliminate the need entirely. Fine debris (seeds, shingle granules, pine needles) still finds its way in, and guards need occasional maintenance themselves.
Quality varies enormously. High-quality micro-mesh guards work well. Cheap foam inserts sold at hardware stores often cause more problems than they solve — the foam collects debris, holds moisture, and can become a growing medium for moss and mold right inside your gutter.
If you're considering gutter guards, invest in quality. Ask us for a recommendation when we're on site.
Repair is fine if: The system is less than 15 years old, damage is isolated to one or two sections, and the fascia behind the gutters is solid.
Replace if: The system is sagging in multiple locations, the fascia is rotted and needs replacement anyway, there are widespread joint failures, or the system is vinyl and showing cold-weather cracking.
If you're replacing your roof, that's the ideal time to assess and replace your eavestroughs too. The fascia is visible during a roof replacement, making it easy to identify damage — and the labour overlap reduces overall cost. Ask us to include an eavestrough assessment as part of your roofing quote.
Don't wait until you have a basement leak or rotted fascia. We provide eavestrough cleaning, repair, and full aluminum replacement across the GTA. Call for a free assessment.
Get a Free Quote 416-889-0629