How to Install Rain Gutters on Your Home
If you are renovating your home and doing some DIY jobs yourself, replacing the drainage gutter system might be one job you are thinking of tackling. Below is a guide on what you will need to complete the job.
Equipment
There are some basic tools required before starting:
- Ladder
- Tape measure
- Saw
- Laser
- Cordless drill
- Hammer
- Nails
- Guttering
- Safety goggles
- Hard hat
- Downpipe
- Wall plugs
- Crimper
- Offset tin snips
- Duckbill tin snips.
Preparation
The first thing you need to do is measure the roof to determine how much guttering to buy. You will need to mark the spots where the downspouts will be located. You must also measure the height of the downspouts and make sure to add another four feet so that you can angle the spout away from the house. It is important to make sure that the downspout can run down the house away from obstacles such as electric meters.
If the length of any piece of guttering is more than forty feet, you will need to pitch the slope from the middle of the roof to either end. According to the good people at Global Gutter Systems, the experts when it comes to rain gutter installation, if the length is less than forty feet, you can slope from one end of the roof to the other to drain the water.
In addition to the guttering, you will need other materials such as the downspouts, fascia brackets, and elbows for the downspout. A good home improvement store should have everything you need.
Getting Started
Once you have everything, it’s time to start the project. The experts recommend sketching a rough diagram of your home with markings and measurements of the guttering system as this will make installation easier.
Cutting and joining sections of guttering should be done on the ground instead of trying to join pieces while on the roof.
Mark the starting point of the gutter at either the middle or end of the fascia, depending on how long the gutter is. The starting point should be 1.25 inches under the eaves flashing, which is the long straight board that runs under the roof to protect the façade from the elements. Next, mark the end point of the run, making sure to use a half-inch slope. To do this, you need to start at the highest point and then at ten feet, mark a position half an inch down. Continue along marking half an inch below at the next ten feet until you reach the end. This is where your downspout will be located.
Attach a fascia bracket to the highest point and the downspout outlet to the lowest end. Tie a string from the fascia bracket to the downspout outlet and ensure it is tight. Use your level to check the slope of the string.
Next, you will need to mark the positions of the remaining fascia brackets with each one fixed about one meter from the previous one. Make sure the bracket is touching the string slightly. Fix the brackets in place.
Fit the first piece of guttering from the highest point, making sure it sits neatly into the bracket. Fit a union bracket at the end of the first piece and then attach the next piece of guttering, lining it up as directed. Continue along and cut the last piece to the correct length. You will now need to attach a stop end before fitting the downpipe. Do this by measuring a straight line from the outlet to the ground. Fit the pipe, making sure it will direct water into a drain below, and that should be that. Good luck.
