When homeowners perform home improvement projects, they often overlook their gutters. Plant debris can corrode and rust gutters, sometimes damaging them so much that replacement is more convenient than performing repairs. Gutter installation may sound like an overwhelming project for a homeowner to do, but it is actually not difficult.
Steps to Take Before Installing New Gutters
Before purchasing new gutters, map out the house and its current gutter system. Determine how long the gutter run must be and calculate the number and length of downspouts. If the old gutter system operated effectively, maintain the configuration with the new system. Make a list of materials and write down all measurements.
If the gutter run does not exceed 35 feet, its highest point will be at one end, with the run sloping downward toward the downspout. If the run exceeds 35 feet, the high point will be at its center, with the run sloping down on both sides to respective downspouts. gutter installation For both lengths, the high point should be an inch below the fascia board that the gutters attach to and should slope ¼-inch for each ten feet of run. Snapping a chalk line while holding one end of the gutter at the correct angle provides a guide to follow during installation.
Gutter Installation Steps
Downspout outlets can be installed with 1 ¼-inch deck screws. They should be close to the run but not at its end and attached to the end of the house along the chalk line. Attach gutter hangers to the fascia at 24-inch intervals, using 1 ¼-inch deck screws. Fasten these approximately one inch from the roof ends, following the chalk line and leaving room at the ends for gutter caps.
All corners that do not feature a downspout and are not at the end of a run should be covered with gutter covers. Now, gutter sections can be cut with a hacksaw to fit between the end of the roof and the downspout outlet. Place a cap on the end, snap the gutter section into the nearby downspout outlet, and hook the gutter on the hangers, following the chalk line.
Gutter sections should be connected on the ground using special connectors to attach them. An assistant can support the gutters during hanging. The final step in the gutter installation process involves cutting drainpipes to fit between the elbow joint on the downspout outlet and the joint on the wall and between the wall elbow and the ground.