Plastmo Vinyl Rain Gutter Components
Last updated: 1/30/04

9/9/03 E-Mail to:

Plastmo Ltd.
255 Summerlea Rd.
Brampton, Ontario, L6T 4T8 Canada

Dear Sirs:

I just installed 28 feet of your 4-inch half round PVC gutter and downpipe on a 2-car garage that I have converted into my computer shop and office.

I have never installed a gutter before, but thanks to your web site it went well. Without it, it would have been a disaster.

I bought the gutter materials from LaValley Lumber in Sanford, Maine, U.S.A. With the exception of the glue and downpipe holders, instructions were not included. However, the people at LaValley were very helpful and did a good job of selecting the correct components for the job.

I experienced the following problems:

I could not get 75 deg elbow for the downpipe all the way into the bottom of the expansion center drop. I tried soap and I tried chilling the elbow in the freezer. Still the elbow will only go about half into the bottom of the expansion center drop.

The 75 deg elbow at the bottom of the downpipe is too loose. I have 10 inches of downpipe on the end of it. Slight vibration will cause the two to fall off. I may glue it or prop it up with bricks or rocks.

Your web site is very good, but could be improved:

Navigation would be much easier with a menu along the left side or top of each page.

The parts diagram at http://plastmo.com/ppartdiag.html is hard to see. I would suggest a better diagram to start with and making it an image map linked to other pages showing each part in greater detail.

The abbreviated instructions at http://plastmo.com/gtrinst.html are good, but could be improved. I would suggest getting comments from people who have never installed your products. That is, “Gutters for Dummies.” E.g., I don’t know exactly what, “Keep outward edge of gutter below fall line in snow areas” means. I would separate the paragraphs.

The video, which I did not view before the installion because I was reluctant to install Quicktime on my Windows 2000 computer (Quicktime for Windows does cause problems), was very good. Also, I could not figure-out how to make it full screen.

By the way, I started to make a jig like the one you have at http://plastmo.com/sandppr.html when I discovered that my Black & Decker Workmate works quite well for holding both the gutter and downpipe (picture attached). Many people have Workmates.

I found your web site by noting your company name embossed on the parts and searching google.com with it.

I am very pleased with this installation and the overall quality of the materials, and will recommend your products.

Pictures are attached (this message is virus free). Yes, I plan to cut down some of the trees.

Most sincerely,

Larry F. Byard

Notes: At second thought, if the video had been full screen, I guess the file would have been much larger. The written instructions say to lightly sand with 100 grit sandpaper and clean before gluing; the video only shows cleaning the plastic. I did both. Be careful with the glue if you are perched on the top of fold-out ladder. The fumes are quite powerful. I bought the Plastmo items at LaValley's Springvale store. I am 62 years old and was able to install the gutter (10 foot sections) without help. The side of my shop/office you see above is where the two overhead garage doors once were. I installed the gutter because water splashing on the blacktop below the eve would have eventually rotted-out the bottom of the new, pine, shiplap-siding, and to keep water draining from the roof off people and computer equipment entering and exiting the Wasco six-foot wide, sliding-glass door.Please see our Contact page if you have any comments or corrections that would make this article better. Please use our Forums if you need help with a computer or network problem.