Getting It Installed Right
The material and the colour are the things people choose. The things that decide whether it works are all in the installation.
Short answer
In order: hidden hangers screwed into solid fascia at close spacing, correct and consistent slope, enough downspouts for the roof area, the right trough and downspout size, the trough positioned correctly relative to the drip edge, and discharge well clear of the foundation. Everything else is secondary.
The six that matter
Hidden hangers, screwed through the trough into solid fascia, at closer spacing than the minimum — because Toronto ice load is the thing that pulls them out.
Slope: consistent fall toward the outlet, checked with water rather than by eye.
Downspout count: enough outlets that no single run has to move more than it can. This is the most common design shortfall.
Size: a larger trough and downspout on a large, steep or valley-fed roof, rather than the standard everywhere.
Position relative to the drip edge, so water goes into the trough rather than behind it or over it.
And discharge: extensions well clear of the foundation, onto ground that falls away.
Spikes and ferrules
A spike driven through the trough into the fascia was the standard method for decades and it works loose. Thermal movement walks the spike out, and the hole it leaves lets water into the fascia. Hidden hangers with screws are the current standard and are the single biggest difference in how long an installation lasts here.
What to confirm before the job
Fascia condition, and whether any replacement is included or is extra. On an older Toronto house some is likely.
Whether drip edge is present and will be fitted if not.
The hanger type and spacing.
The number and position of downspouts, and whether any are being added.
The trough and downspout size.
And where each downspout will discharge, including extensions and the disconnection position, because that is frequently left as an afterthought.
The material question
Aluminum is the standard, available in a range of colours, and in a suitable gauge it is the right answer for most Toronto houses.
Gauge matters more than people realize — a heavier gauge resists ice deformation and ladder damage.
Steel is stronger and heavier and will rust where the coating is damaged.
Copper is a different price and a different aesthetic, and it is a long-life material on a house that suits it.
Vinyl is not suitable in a Toronto winter — it embrittles and cracks.
And the colour choice is genuinely a choice, with the practical note that it is worth matching the fascia capping rather than the roof.
Common questions
What matters most in an installation?
Hidden hangers into solid fascia at close spacing, and correct consistent slope.
Are spikes acceptable?
They work loose with thermal movement and leave a hole in the fascia. Use hidden hangers.
Is vinyl eavestrough an option here?
No. It embrittles and cracks in a Toronto winter.