I am originally from Europe and you do see a lot of PVC gutters in my country, especially in construction that is done on a tight budget. It seems to me PVC would be a legit material to make cheap and durable gutters. How come you don't get to see (m)any here in the States?
Why aren’t there more PVC gutters in the U.S.
gutters
Related Solutions
You may want to look at something like the Gutter Cleaning Wand:
You don't need to hire a professional to clean out your clogged rain gutters. Attach the Gutter Cleaner Wand to any standard garden hose, and you'll be able to clear out those debris-filled rain gutters yourself. This heavy-duty hose attachment has a telescoping wand that extends from 41.5 inches to 68.5 inches to get to those hard-to-reach spots along your roof.
- Rain gutter cleaner attaches to any standard garden hose
- Spray nozzle directs water flow to blast away debris
- Gutter cleaning device extends to 68.5 inches to aid in reaching remote areas
The weak points in any guttering system are where the various sections join. If the gutters aren't fitted correctly then any system will leak.
So look for a system that has an easy to fit joint, or perhaps one where the joints are bonded.
As long as they have the capacity to carry the volume of water you expect then any correctly installed system will be OK.
One more thing, make sure you maintain them. Check them at least one a year to make sure they're not blocked, more often if you have overhanging trees. Don't lean your ladder on the gutter itself. Lean it just below or get a device to push the ladder away from the wall.
Best Answer
If you use PVC gutter stock, it needs to be solvent welded at all the joints. Don't bother with any of the clip-together DIY grade junk that's out there. Having tried two different manufacturers, here's the basic results on the clip-together stuff:
Vinyl's high expansion rate means that it grows mightily when hot and then contracts in cold weather, straining all the joints. No matter now much movement the brackets are made to allow, they allow ratcheting during summer heat, causing the gutter system to pull itself apart when cold weather hits. if you are using the common DIY clip-together stuff. Nothing makes you so angry as being on top a slippery 15ft. ladder in a typical winter Oregon downpour with the full gutter flow shooting out the gap, through your collar and down inside your raincoat. Various neighbors around here have tried it, cursed and thrown it away. If you're going to install it, the first hint of fall should be followed by a full inspection which means pulling the gutter stock back through the brackets so they fully seat in the connection and downspout joints.
Solvent welded vinyl gutter still has the same expansion rates, hopefully the support systems take that into account, I didn't bother wasting any more money on vinyl, but went with continuous construction aluminum gutters.
With continuous aluminum, you have no joints, it's one single run from gable to gable, the finish is baked on and it's held up over the 5 years it has been in operation much better than vinyl and hasn't got the rust problems that galvanized sheet iron has. It has been worth the money spent on it.