Plastic Gutters & Downspouts

Report Overview

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This study analyzes US demand for plastic gutter and downspout products (also referred to as rainware) by product, market, material, and region. Historical data for 2010, 2015, and 2020 and forecasts for 2025 and 2030 are presented in dollars and in linear feet (excluding hardware and accessories).

Plastic gutter and downspout demand is segmented into the following product categories:

• gutters (seamless and preformed)
• downspouts (seamless and preformed)
• gutter guards
  • meshes and screens
  • hood and covers
  • foams and bristles
• hardware and accessories:
  • hardware, including elbows and other connectors, end caps, miters, outlets, brackets, hangers, and straps and other mounting hardware
  • accessories, including conductor heads; downspout drain guards, strainers, and extenders; splash guards; rain chains; rainwater harvesting equipment; and deicing systems

For the purposes of this report, gutter guards that are part of one-piece gutter systems are counted as gutters.

The plastic gutter and downspout market segments analyzed are:

• new residential
• residential improvement and repair
• new commercial
• commercial improvement and repair

Excluded from the definition of residential buildings are housing units located in a structure whose primary purpose is something other than habitation. Thus, a small living space contained in a larger retail facility would be classified as part of a retail building and not a residential building.

Additionally, demand for plastic gutter and downspout products is broken out for the following US geographic regions and subregions:

• Northeast (Middle Atlantic and New England)
• Midwest (East North Central and West North Central)
• South (South Atlantic, East South Central, and West South Central)
• West (Mountain and Pacific)

Demand by Product

Demand in value terms for plastic gutters and downspouts is forecast to increase an average of 3.0% per year to $182 million in 2025, with demand in linear feet reaching 99.1 million. These growth rates are the most rapid of any material, driven by the high share of demand accounted for by gutter guards, at 74% of the value total in 2025. Demand for these items – which are often fabricated from plastic – will benefit as consumers install gutter guards to better protect their homes from water damage and reduce the maintenance needed for a residence’s upkeep.

Plastic (primarily PVC) gutters and downspouts are limited to DIY replacement, as metal gutters outperform vinyl in terms of strength and longevity. However, plastic is a preferred material for gutter guards because it can be used in any gutter system regardless of the gutter material and is available in a variety of configurations, including:

• urethane foam
• bristle brushes
• nylon mesh
• PVC gutter covers ranging from simple screens to more sophisticated designs that use liquid adhesion technology

Demand by Market

The residential market accounted for the vast majority of plastic gutter and downspout demand in 2020 and will continue to do so through 2025, supported by the more intensive use of gutter guards in residential applications. These products are mainly installed by homeowners (frequently on a DIY basis) subsequent to the installation or replacement of a home’s existing gutters. Some homeowners will choose plastic (especially vinyl) gutters because of their lower cost and ease of installation compared to metal products.

Demand for plastic gutter and downspout products in residential markets is projected to increase an average of 3.0% annually to $161 million in 2025, equivalent to 86.4 million linear feet. Improvement and repair applications will continue to drive market growth:

• Among gutter and downspout types, plastic products are especially popular for DIY home renovation projects due to their low cost and wide availability at retail.
• While spending on home renovations will slow considerably following the large spike seen during the COVID-19 pandemic, homeowner investment in improvement projects is expected to remain elevated in the near term, supporting demand through 2025.

Demand by Region

The South is the leading regional market for plastic gutters and downspouts and will remain so through 2025, totaling 47% of the market in value terms and 46% of the market in linear feet terms. Plastic products – especially gutter guards – see widespread use in the South because of:

• the region’s frequent rainfalls, which can fill gutter systems with not only water but leaves, small branches, and other debris
• few homes in the region were originally outfitted with these products
• transplants from the northern half of the US (where these products have been in use longer) moving to the region will add these items to their homes to reduce maintenance needs

US demand for plastic gutter and downspout products is forecast to rise 3.0% per year to $182 million equivalent to 99.1 million linear feet in 2025. Gutter guards – the products that are most commonly made of plastic – will account for the majority of sales gains. Gutter guards are increasingly utilized by homeowners to prevent gutters from being clogged by fallen leaves, pine needles, and other debris. Advances for plastic gutter and downspout products will also be supported by:

• growth in housing completions, particularly of single-family units in 2020 and 2021, where the majority of plastic gutter and downspout products are installed
• the replacement of older or worn products, as plastic products tend to have a shorter useful life compared to those made of metal
• elevated DIY home renovation activity in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic

COVID-19 Pandemic Spurs Surge in Home Renovations, Boosting Near-Term Sales

The COVID-19 pandemic had a net positive impact on the US plastic gutter and downspout products market. Demand increased 6.1% in 2020, driven largely by the surge in home renovation activity. As plastic gutter and downspout products are most commonly purchased for residential improvement and repair applications – which accounted for 94% of demand in 2020 – the spike in home improvements provided a robust sales boost. Plastic gutter and downspout products are especially popular for DIY home improvement projects due to their relatively low cost, ease of installation, and wide availability at retail locations.

Gutter Guards Continue to Grow Market Share

Through 2025, gutter guards are projected to increase their market share in value terms to 74%, driven by rising penetration of plastic in more material-intensive gutter guard applications, especially hoods and covers. The markets for plastic gutters and especially downspouts will remain small due to strong preferences for metal in these applications for their stronger aesthetic appeal and greater durability.

Gutter guards account for a higher share of plastic than of metal rainware product demand because plastic gutter guards can be used with gutters made of any material (though plastic is less likely to be specified for use with high-end gutter materials like copper, which is primarily chosen for its unique and higher end aesthetic). Gutter guards will see their share of the plastic gutter and downspout market grow due to the:

• variety of available products (especially in terms of meshes and screens and foams and bristles)
• generally lower cost of these products compared to metal gutter guards