There are many jobs around the home that people will do themselves, such as painting or putting up shelves. Others who have never actually been trained in a specific trade but are confident of their DIY skills might take on more complicated tasks, such as fixing leaking faucets or laying a laminate flooring.
However, according to the experts at Global Gutter Systems, jobs such as a rain gutter installation should be left to the professionals unless you are confident that you can handle it and you have the necessary equipment to complete the job. So, before you decide to replace the gutters on your home, you should know what is involved.
How Are Gutters Installed?
Gutters are placed around the roofline of a property to catch rainwater and direct it away from the home. Sounds simple enough, but it is not just a case of taking the existing rain gutters away and then putting up new ones. Doing this might mean that your gutters look good, but unless they are pitched correctly, they will not work effectively and there will really be no point in having them at all.
Before you get started, you need to know what equipment is needed and what the best gutters are going to be for your home. There are several different styles and materials to choose from when it comes to gutters for the home. But while copper or stainless-steel gutters might be more aesthetically pleasing, they are not ideal for DIYers because they are quite heavy and hard to work with. If you do want the more expensive type of gutter, it is best to let the professionals do the work for you. Vinyl and aluminum gutters are easier to work with and less expensive and are therefore a better choice for DIY enthusiasts willing to give rain gutter installation a go.
Gutters are available in a few designs, typically K-shaped and half round. K-shape gutters are more common in modern homes and hold more water than their half-round counterparts.
Rain gutters are typically attached to the fascia with brackets and should be attached along the entire length of the roof. They will be affixed to one or more downspouts, through which the rainwater will be diverted to a drain below. If the roofline is longer than 40 feet, the gutter system will usually have a downspout at each end. The gutter will be pitched from the middle of the roofline down towards a downspout at either end.
If, on the other hand, the roofline is less than 40 feet, only one downspout is required at the end and the gutter will be pitched from one end of the roofline to the downspout at the other end. It is important to get the pitch right because if it is too high the water will flow too quickly but if it is not high enough, the water will pool in the gutters and will not reach the downspout. As you might imagine, this means getting the measurements accurate when installing the gutter system.
If you are still keen to give gutter installation a go and think you can manage cutting and fitting the gutters, you will need the following equipment:
- ladder
- crimper
- tin snips
- drill
- chalk line
- hacksaw
- measuring tape
- level
- screws
- pencil.
Conclusion
Installing rain gutters is not a simple job, but those who are good at DIY might consider giving it a go. The important thing to remember when installing Rain guard gutters is that the pitch needs to be correct. Provided you have the right equipment and are confident doing DIY jobs, there is no reason why you cannot do it yourself.
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