We clean our open rain gutters at least five times a year but they still overflow in heavy rains. I’m baffled and am wondering if gutters are really necessary. I have seen homes without them. What is ...

Samantha Hunter is a professional copy editor who has worked with Ms. Magazine, Spin and VH1. She has also written for MarthaStewart.com, Essence.com, Esquire.com, GoodHousekeeping.com, RealSimple.com ...

Q I have noticed a drip line rut in the yard below my gutters. Is this because of the heavy rains? Are my gutters too small? I have standard gutters, and they and the drains are not clogged. A ...

Q: I had a contractor install pop-up gutter drains. They were supposed to be dug 10 feet out. He only did this for one at the back of the house. The other three are only 4 to 5 feet out. I wasn’t ...

Q. My aluminum rain gutters overflow in a hard rain, and I’m sure it is because they are not sloped properly, so the water runs to the downspouts. The reason, I think, is because the fascia boards ...

Q: My copper gutters are 10 years old, and I don’t want any gutter guards. But I have two problems. One is where the gutter turns a corner, and water gushes down from two roofs so hard that water ...

Q–I have two questions related to gutters. First, when it rains, the gutter in the front of my house fills and overflows. A handyman I hired reset the gutter. He said it wasn`t slanted properly. Now, ...