The Rise And Fall Of Spike And Ferrule Gutter Systems

If you have old gutters on an older home, your gutters likely look like the picture above. You can see the spike (nail) and ferrule (tube that nail runs though) in the gutter as well as the nail head on the outside of the gutter. While these were fine back when they were installed, they do not hold up over time like gutters with hidden hanger systems. In fact, in almost every case, we discover that most of the spikes have come loose over time resulting in gutter warping and non-functional gutters like the image below.

Enter the 90s and seamless gutters with hidden hanger systems start to become more popular. With the rise of several reputable gutter hanger manufacturers including Raytec (our preferred supplier), different types of hidden hanger systems took off and quickly replaced the old style spike and ferrule gutter systems. The newer hidden hanger system allows for the gutters to be adjusted over time if necessary, allow for ideal mounting of leaf guards, and are designed to withstand years of harsh weather!