Rain Gutter Modification

Question

My travel trailer is a 2013 Keystone Springdale 311RE. It stays at my 50
acre camp all year. The gutters fill up with pine needles in a matter of days and it's a real pain in the a**. I cleaned out the Driver Side gutter yesterday and while up there I got to thinking. If the gutter fills and overflows, it's not doing its job. That side of the trailer is always dirty and I wash it every month but that doesn't really matter to me. I am thinking of putting something like a poly rope in the gutter (interference fit). That way rain water can drain into it, but the pine needles will fall or blow off because there will be nowhere for them to get caught. What do you think? Any other ideas or suggestions are welcomed. I'm now 72 years old and the wife doesn't like me on a ladder cleaning gutters. Thanks and enjoy every day in your TT.
Duane

grit_dog · Answer

Honestly, there’s not enough volume in the gutter to accommodate that. Imo.
I don’t think there’s an actual solution save for removing the source of the pine needles or a roof over it.
Consider making a little J hook somethin or other on a pole that you can just walk down each side and sweep out the gutters? Or maybe an air tool of similar fashion to blow the needles out. Everyone can use an air compressor if you don’t already have one.
Bigger issue. If the gutters are filling up that quick, the roof is covered with them 24-7.

ca_traveler · Answer

Add common household gutter guards Amazon etc cut down to fit your RV gutters.

boomerweps · Answer

If it was my trailer, as a stationary camp, I’d build or have built a shed roof over it. In PA where I am, I’d hire the Mennonites/Amish.
If you have a lot of pine needles on it, sooner or later, you’ll have a pine branch on or through the roof. Pine needles tend to fall near straight down. So do the branches.

turnthepage · Answer

I was able to replace the gutter molding that protects the screws that secure the gutter can  to the trailer/RV with a rubber/vinyl product that extended out about 2" beyond the exterior wall as a kind of eve.  It worked well, but I think the company went out of business.  Maybe there's a similar product out there.  Or you could fashion your own gutter or eve.  Eternabond tape will secure almost anything.

grit_dog · Answer

TurnThePage wrote:I was able to replace the gutter molding that protects the screws that secure the gutter can  to the trailer/RV with a rubber/vinyl product that extended out about 2" beyond the exterior wall as a kind of eve.  It worked well, but I think the company went out of business.  Maybe there's a similar product out there.  Or you could fashion your own gutter or eve.  Eternabond tape will secure almost anything.To that point, just stick some tin flashing to the roof and make a wider ad hoc eve. But it won’t solve the bigger problem of a roof full of wet rotting pine needles. Go figure…can’t park a rv under a bunch of trees for a long period of time without some regular maintenance or suffering the consequences. Who’d a thunk it. If the OP can’t get on the roof to clean the gutters, any gutter solution is a moot point. There’s other temporary or permanent solutions but they all require money or ability. No free lunch.

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Rain Gutter Modification

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