Gutter guards for Lancaster County homes

Three steps, one phone call

1. Tell us what's going on

   Call or use the form. Give your town and a quick description: clogged gutters, overflow, leaks or a downspout dumping water by the foundation.

2. We pass it to a local installer

   Your request goes to an independent gutter company that works in your part of Lancaster County.

3. They call you and quote it

   The installer sets up a visit, looks at the roof and the gutters, and gives you their own price.

Who is this site for?

Lancaster County homeowners who are tired of gutter trouble, from rowhouse owners in the city to families in the suburbs of Manheim Township and the borough centers of Lititz, Millersville and Ephrata. Most calls are about one of four things: trees keep filling the gutters, the gutters spill over in hard rain even when clean, old gutters leak and sag, or downspouts empty next to the house and the basement shows it.

Why does roof water matter so much on Lancaster County ground?

Much of the county sits on limestone, and limestone ground is prone to sinkholes. Warwick Township, which surrounds Lititz, says plainly that sinkholes are common in Lancaster County because of its limestone soil, that heavy rain and runoff make them worse by flushing soil down into openings, and that water from rain spouts may need to be redirected so it stops feeding one. A state geology booklet on sinkholes in Pennsylvania makes the same point: storm water gathered off roofs and paved areas and sent to one spot can open up a karst drain. A gutter that overflows at the same corner every storm, or a downspout that empties onto the same patch of lawn for years, is exactly that kind of concentrated flow.

How much rain do Lancaster gutters handle?

About 44 inches of precipitation a year. NOAA's 1991 to 2020 climate normals for Lancaster put the yearly average at 44.2 inches, with measurable precipitation on about 124 days. Most of that arrives as ordinary rain that any working gutter can carry. The trouble comes with summer thunderstorms and the occasional remnant of a tropical system, when a lot of water hits the roof in an hour. Gutters that are undersized, short on downspouts or half full of leaves overflow first, and the water lands right at the foundation.

Which gutter guard makes sense on a Lancaster roof?

It depends on what falls on the roof. Stainless micro-mesh stops maple seeds, needles and leaves and is usually the pick under heavy tree cover. Perforated aluminum costs less and handles broad leaves, but small seeds get through. Reverse-curve hoods shed debris over a rounded edge but need the right roof pitch and can overshoot in a downpour. Foam and brush inserts are cheap and tend to clog. The gutter guard installation page goes deeper.

Half-round gutters on older houses need guards made for a round profile. Ask the installer whether the product they're quoting is built for your gutter shape.

Is a city rowhouse different from a house in the suburbs?

Yes, in a few ways. Lancaster's architecture spans four centuries, and the city has rowhouses, mansions and old log houses side by side. Attached houses often share a gutter line with the neighbor, so a fix on one side can affect the other, and the downspout may empty onto a sidewalk or a narrow side yard with nowhere good for the water to go. The National Register historic district covers about three square miles and more than 14,000 buildings, and the city also has locally regulated districts. Inside the district reviewed by the Historical Architectural Review Board, swapping one material for another can require review, while in-kind repairs are handled more simply. If you want to change from old half-round gutters to K-style, or from copper to aluminum, check first.

Suburban houses are a different story: long runs, two-story walls and builder-grade 5-inch gutters under roof valleys.

Signs your gutters need attention

• Water sheets over the front lip during a storm
• Peeling paint or dark stains on the fascia board
• A line of eroded soil or splashed mulch under the eaves
• Damp basement walls or efflorescence after heavy rain
• A low spot or dip in the soil near a downspout
• Gutters that sag, hold standing water or lean away from the house

Does a gutter installer need to register in Pennsylvania?

Pennsylvania doesn't issue a state gutter license, but the Home Improvement Consumer Protection Act requires most home improvement contractors to register with the Attorney General. The exemption is for contractors doing less than $5,000 of home improvement work in a year. Registered contractors show their PA number on contracts and estimates, and contracts over $500 must be in writing with the total price, dates and a cancellation notice. Our Lancaster County gutter guard guide covers this in more detail.

Are you the gutter company?

No. Lancaster Gutter Guards is a referral service. We connect you with an independent installer who works near you, and that company quotes, schedules, installs and stands behind its own work. Before you sign anything, read our tips for checking out an installer.

Towns we cover

• Lancaster
• Manheim Township
• Lititz
• Millersville
• Ephrata

Want the details on rain, sinkholes, registration and historic review? Read the Lancaster County gutter guard guide.