Gutter Installation in Philadelphia, PA

Local know-how

Gutters in Philadelphia: what local homeowners should know

Philadelphia’s rowhomes, twins and stone colonials are among the oldest housing in the country. Many have half-round, box or Yankee gutters that were patched for decades, while suburban homes in Bucks, Montgomery and Chester Counties often have aging sectional gutters ready for replacement.

The suburbs are heavily wooded, and oak, maple and sycamore leaves fill gutters every fall. Guards are among the most requested upgrades, and winter snow and ice make sturdy hangers and correct pitch important.

Old houses, more rain and a lot of trees

Philadelphia gets about 44 inches of precipitation in an average year at Philadelphia International Airport, according to NOAA’s 1991–2020 climate normals. That is roughly 6% more than the previous 30-year normal. Heavy summer storms and the remnants of tropical systems bring much of it in short bursts.

What really sets the region apart is its housing. The city has rows of brick rowhomes and twins, many more than 100 years old, with front gutters, rear box gutters, flat or low-slope rear roofs and downspouts that run into the sewer. In Montgomery, Bucks, Delaware and Chester Counties, stone colonials, split-levels and 1950s–1970s ranch homes sit under mature oaks, maples and sycamores. In fall those trees can fill a gutter in a week, and suburban homeowners ask for guards more than almost anything else.

Older gutters here are often sectional aluminum with leaking seams, rusted steel, or original half-round systems that have been patched for decades. Replacing them with seamless aluminum, or with half-round aluminum or copper on stone and historic homes, is the most common project.

Rowhome gutters are their own job

On a rowhome, the front gutter is usually short and easy. The rear is where problems start: low-slope roofs drain into box gutters or scuppers, downspouts share walls with the neighbors, and leaks show up inside as stains on the back bedroom ceiling. Tell us your home type when you call, so you are matched with an installer who does rowhome work.

Philadelphia also has a program that affects downspouts. Through Rain Check, the Philadelphia Water Department offers city residents free rain barrels and helps pay for downspout planters and rain gardens, after a free workshop. If you plan to use it, tell the installer so the new downspouts are placed where a barrel or planter can connect.

Typical costs in Philadelphia

These are published cost figures for orientation only, not quotes. City averages include smaller jobs such as partial runs; a full seamless system on a large or two-story home usually lands at the upper end of the range or above. The installer you are connected with measures your home and gives you the actual price.

Half-round and copper systems on stone homes cost considerably more. See copper and half-round gutters and the cost guide.

Pennsylvania contract rules that protect you

Pennsylvania’s Home Improvement Consumer Protection Act applies to most gutter jobs. According to the Attorney General’s office:

• Contractors who do $5,000 or more of home improvement work a year must register with the Attorney General and show the registration number on contracts and ads.
• Jobs over $500 need a written contract.
• You can cancel within three business days of signing, except in emergencies.

You can verify a registration with the Attorney General before you sign. Whether a gutter job needs a building permit is decided by the City’s Department of Licenses and Inspections or your township, and work on historic properties can need review. Ask the installer before the work starts.

Choosing gutters and guards for a Philadelphia-area home

• Guards under suburban hardwoods. See gutter guards and our guard buying guide.
• Seamless replacement for leaking sectional gutters: gutter replacement.
• Half-round and copper for stone and historic homes: copper and half-round gutters.
• Hangers for snow and ice. The region’s normal snowfall is modest, but ice on old gutters is a common reason they pull loose. See ice dams and gutters.

Independent installers take calls from across the Philadelphia area, including Philadelphia, Abington, Cheltenham, Ardmore, Bala Cynwyd, Bryn Mawr, Wayne, Conshohocken, Norristown, King of Prussia and Valley Forge, Blue Bell, Ambler, North Wales, Harleysville, Pottstown, Huntingdon Valley, Levittown, Bristol, Media, Broomall, West Chester and Chester.

Sources

• The Philadelphia Inquirer: New NOAA normals for Philadelphia (1991–2020)
• Philadelphia Water Department: Rain Check program
• Angi: How much does gutter installation cost in Philadelphia, PA?
• Angi: How much does gutter guard installation cost in Philadelphia, PA?
• HomeGuide: Seamless gutters cost
• Pennsylvania Office of Attorney General: Home Improvement Consumer Protection Act brochure