Gutter Installation in Lehigh Valley & Berks, PA

Local know-how

Gutters in Lehigh Valley & Berks: what local homeowners should know

The Lehigh Valley and Berks County have a large stock of older twins, row homes and stone farmhouses alongside newer subdivisions. Gutters on many older homes are well past their prime, and seams leak onto brick and stone.

Heavy wooded areas and cold winters make guards and heavier-gauge gutters popular. Nor’easters bring wind-driven rain and snow, so solid attachment and correct downspout sizing matter.

Key facts: gutters in Lehigh Valley & Berks, PA

• Typical cost: HomeGuide puts seamless aluminum gutters at about $6 to $12 per linear foot installed nationally; local prices vary.
• Do gutter contractors need to be registered in Pennsylvania? Yes. Most home improvement contractors must register with the Attorney General under HICPA, and contracts must be written with a three-day cancellation right.
• How much rain does the Lehigh Valley get? About 47.4 inches of precipitation a year on average at Lehigh Valley International Airport under the 1991–2020 normals.
• Common choice: seamless aluminum K-style gutters in 5- or 6-inch sizes; 6-inch with 3x4-inch downspouts for large roofs and heavy rain.
• How to get connected: call the number on this page and you are connected with an independent local installer who serves your ZIP code. The call is free and there is no obligation.

Updated November 2026. Sources are listed at the end of this page.

About 47 inches of precipitation

Allentown averages about 47.4 inches of precipitation a year at Lehigh Valley International Airport under the 1991–2020 normals, according to GLISA at the University of Michigan. Nor’easters bring snow and ice in winter, spring is wet, and summer thunderstorms and tropical remnants bring heavy downpours. Annual totals over the normals period ranged from about 34 to almost 72 inches, so some years are very wet.

Sinkhole country

Much of the Lehigh Valley and parts of Berks County are underlain by limestone and dolomite, carbonate rock that dissolves slowly in water. Sinkholes are a well-known local hazard in Allentown, Bethlehem, Easton, Whitehall and surrounding townships. The usual mechanism is soil being washed down into openings in the rock, and concentrated water speeds it up. The Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection advises that stormwater from development should not be directed into sinkholes.

For homeowners, the lesson is simple: do not concentrate roof water in one spot. Spread downspout discharge over a wide area, keep it away from the foundation, and never drain it into a depression or known sinkhole. If a depression forms near a downspout, stop the water and have it evaluated. See gutters in sinkhole country.

Older homes and row houses

Allentown, Bethlehem, Easton and Reading have many 19th- and early 20th-century row houses, twins and Victorians, often with built-in gutters, half-round gutters and slate roofs. Built-in gutters hidden in the cornice leak into walls when linings fail; slate roofs need careful work at the edge. Relining or rebuilding historic gutters is specialist work. See gutters on historic homes and box gutters on old homes.

Snow and ice

The Lehigh Valley typically sees moderate snow and several ice events each winter. Gutters on older homes with limited attic insulation get ice dams. Hidden hangers about every 2 feet into sound fascia and correct slope help gutters through winter. See snow load and gutters.

Trees and new construction

Older neighborhoods have mature oaks, maples and sycamores; newer developments in Upper Macungie, Lower Macungie, Nazareth and the Berks suburbs have large roofs with multiple gables and builder-grade 5-inch gutters that overflow at inside corners. Guards, more downspouts or 6-inch gutters are common upgrades. See gutters overflowing in heavy rain.

Slate roofs

Many older homes in Allentown, Bethlehem, Easton and Reading have slate roofs, often quarried in nearby Northampton and Lehigh Counties. Slate lasts for generations but cracks easily when walked on or when gutters are pried off. Gutter work on slate roofs should be done by crews used to slate, with hangers that do not require lifting or nailing through the first course. Ask about experience with slate before hiring. Copper or half-round gutters are traditional companions to slate and last about as long.

Typical costs in the Lehigh Valley

These are published cost figures for orientation only, not quotes. City averages include smaller jobs such as partial runs; a full seamless system on a large or two-story home usually lands at the upper end of the range or above. The installer you are connected with measures your home and gives you the actual price.

We did not find a reliable published average for the Lehigh Valley. Compare Philadelphia and our cost guide.

Pennsylvania contractor registration

Pennsylvania’s Home Improvement Consumer Protection Act requires most home improvement contractors to register with the Attorney General’s office. Contracts must be in writing and include the registration number, and consumers have three business days to cancel. Deposits are limited for larger jobs. Verify the registration before signing. On pre-1978 homes, ask about EPA lead-safe certification.

Choosing gutters and guards for a Lehigh Valley home

• Spread-out discharge in carbonate areas: underground downspout drainage.
• More or larger downspouts on big, complex roofs: downspout size and placement.
• Guards under mature trees: gutter guards.
• Half-round or built-in gutters on historic homes: copper and half-round gutters.

Independent installers take calls from across the Lehigh Valley and Berks County, including Allentown, Bethlehem, Easton, Whitehall, Emmaus, Macungie, Northampton, Nazareth, Bangor, Phillipsburg, Coopersburg, Quakertown, Kutztown, Reading, Wyomissing, Sinking Spring, Exeter and Boyertown.

Sources

• GLISA (University of Michigan): Allentown, PA climate summary
• Pennsylvania DEP: Stormwater and sinkholes in carbonate areas
• Pennsylvania Office of Attorney General: Home Improvement Consumer Protection Act brochure
• U.S. EPA: Lead Renovation, Repair and Painting (RRP) Rule
• HomeGuide: Seamless gutters cost
• HouseLogic (National Association of Realtors): Types of gutters and costs
• Angi: How much do gutter guards cost?