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Box Gutter Services

Breathe New Life into Your Classic Cincinnati Home

Box gutters, those elegant and timeless gutters seamlessly integrated into your roofline, aren’t just beautiful – they’re essential for protecting your historic Cincinnati home. But neglected box gutters can become a source of leaks and structural damage.

At KangaRoof, we’re passionate about safeguarding your home’s beauty and functionality. We specialize in box gutter services, ensuring your classic home boasts both stunning aesthetics and optimal drainage.

Why Choose KangaRoof for Your Box Gutters?

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Trust Our Seasoned Box Gutter Advisors To Guide You on Your Box Gutter Journey

Don't Let Your Box Gutters Become a Problem. Let KangaRoof Be the Solution!

Neglected box gutters can lead to costly repairs down the road. Schedule a free consultation with KangaRoof today! Our experts will assess your box gutters and recommend the best course of action, whether it’s cleaning, repairs, or a complete rebuild.

Here's what you'll gain

We Offer Flexible Financing Plans!

No interest for 12 months

New Home Projects Made Affordable

Box Gutter Maintenance

Box gutters can often be found on older homes built in the late 1800s and early 1900s. These time-tested box gutters differ from modern, pre-formed gutters. They are actually part of the roof structure, rather than hanging at the edge of the roofline.
There are different names and types of box gutters, but they all have the same concept. They can go by names such as Yankee Gutter, Eave Trough, Rain Collection Systems or Internal Gutter.
 
Box gutters consist of wood framing lined with fabricated metal that is soldered at the seams. You will typically see box gutters lined with steel and occasionally they will be lined with copper.
 
An experienced carpenter builds the box gutter into the roof overhang or into the bottom of the roof. Then a sheet metal fabricator lines the gutter with the desired metal and solders the seams, outlets and ends. A proper sweat and lacing of the soldering can hold tight for many decades. The box gutter creates a trough for water to flow smoothly into the downspout without pooling and the design makes the gutter good for many decades, hence the fact that there are still box gutters that were installed in the late 1800s and early 1900s and are functioning to this day in the early 2020s.
Box gutters do require maintenance. Depending on the condition of the box gutter when you begin the maintenance, will determine the extent of the repairs and amount of maintenance that will be needed.

As long as the box gutter is still in place and has no major leaks which would cause the wood frame to rot due to the excessive amount of water that would flow through the crack or hole, then maintenance just needs done to the metal lining of the box gutters.
 
Cleaning: Box gutters are built in many different shapes and sizes. Therefore there is no standard gutter guards that fit box gutters. If there are surrounding trees that drop leaves onto the roof system and end up collecting in the gutter, then the gutters will need cleaned out 1-2 times a year to prevent water from pooling in the gutter due to debris and in turn corroding the metal lining.

Painting: When you have a box gutter that is in good condition then you will just need to have that gutter painted every 5-10 years or as needed when the paint peels. Remember that all the water from your roof system will end up running through your gutter and into your downspout, your gutters will carry thousands of gallons of water throughout the years and therefore the painting must hold up to prevent corrosion of the metal. When painting your box gutters, be sure to properly clean the gutter and use a high quality paint that is designed for exterior metal.
Box gutters are designed to last forever and if properly maintained, this can be the case. Unfortunately in a lot of cases we find that box gutters get neglected either due to a house sitting vacant for a time, neglect, or ignorance to the fact that these historic parts of our homes that can’t be seen from the ground need necessary maintenance. Despite what has happened to the gutter in it’s past, there is almost always a way to repair that box gutter. Depending on the condition of the gutter will determine how extensive the repair or sometimes even a re-build could be.
 
Sealing Extensively Rusted Box Gutters: (Not Leaking)
The metal that is used on most box gutters takes many years of neglect to rust through and begin to cause issues. If you have a box gutter that appears to be covered in rust and potentially thinning in areas due to extended amounts of time without maintenance, then your gutter may be in need of a silicone coating. If you are going to coat your gutters, then there cannot be any structural damage from a leak in the lining. Coating your box gutters will just extend the life of the lining.

 

Process: We will clean the box gutter thoroughly and scrape clean any rust flakes. We will then apply a 100% silicone coating to the entire lining of the Box gutter. This comes in many different colors.

 

After coating a box gutter in silicone, the gutter can no longer be painted and must be coated in silicone every 10-15 years from that point forward to maintain the gutter.
 
Repairing Broken Seams And/Or Minor Holes In A Box Gutter: (Minor Leaking)
If a box gutter has been neglected for many years, the lining will rust through and the seams will come apart. If caught on time before the leaking becomes major and damages the structure of the box gutter framing, then repairs can be made to reverse this issue.

 

Thick 100% silicone and mesh can be applied to the affected areas to prolong the life of the box gutter lining. This could be a less expensive alternative to completely rebuilding the box gutters.
 
Process: This process is always coupled with coating the entire box gutter with 100% silicone. We will clean the box gutter thoroughly and scrape clean any rust flakes. We will then apply a layer of strong mesh to any compromised areas in the gutter and all seams. We will then apply a 100% silicone coating to the entire lining of the Box gutter. This comes in many different colors.

 

After coating a box gutter in silicone, the gutter can no longer be painted and must be coated in silicone every 10-15 years from that point forward to maintain the gutter.
 
Rebuilding Box Gutters with Extensive Damage: (Major Leaking)
Sometimes box gutters have been neglected for so long that they have rusted through in many areas and the structural framing is compromised. This can be a dangerous situation because the gutter can look normal from the ground, but in reality the gutter framing could be extremely rotted to the point of falling or pulling away from the home. If the gutter gets to this point, it is typically pouring over the front of the gutter in many areas and if viewed from the rooftop you will see that the gutter is leaning away from the home. At this point, the only option is to tear into the gutter and completely rebuild as necessary. Due to the age of most box gutter system, when KangaRoof takes on a rebuilding project, typically 70-90% of the box gutter framing gets replaced.
 
Process: Most of the time we will set up scaffolding around your home to access all the box gutters safely that are in need of re-builiding.

 

We will then remove the lining and soffit of the box gutter.

 

At this point the framing will be exposed and we can begin to replace the framing of the box gutter. The rafters, floor board, cap board & fascia boards of the gutter will be checked and replaced as needed.

 

A metal lock strip will then be formed and installed on the front corner of the gutter to add some aesthetics and structure to the lining of the box gutter.

 

Some form of metal will then be fabricated on site to fit your specific gutter system. The metal will be installed in 10′ sections and soldered at the seams.

 

Lastly the fascia board will be wrapped in aluminum metal and vinyl soffit will be installed along the bottom soffit board.
 

Built on Quality & Community

Family owned and operated, Brandstetter’s KangaRoof has built a reputation for excellence in roofing, siding, gutter, and window installation, and repair. Our core values are faith, family, and excellence.

Faith-Driven Integrity​

Honesty, transparency, and a strong work ethic are core principles that guide every project.

Family First

At KangaRoof, family extends beyond bloodlines. It encompasses the team, the customers, and the Cincinnati community we serve.

Excellence

The KangaCrew is dedicated to exceeding expectations through clear communication, prompt service, and a commitment to customer satisfaction.​

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Service Areas for Box Gutter Services

At KangaRoof, we are happy to serve our neighbors in the Queen City and surrounding areas:

Ready to Get Started?

Invest in the beauty and functionality of your classic Cincinnati home. Contact KangaRoof today!

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