Installing a gutter is easy. There are just a few steps you'll need to take to be successful. The goal is to catch the water leaving the roof and transport it away from the foundation of your house.
Vinyl or plastic gutter is the easiest material to work with. Very little maintenance is needed and it will look good for years.
- The first thing to do when you install a gutter is to mark the gutter run with a chalk line. Start at the high end of the gutter and stretch the string to the low end. You'll want to create an inch drop for about every forty feet. A level and a couple extra pair of hands will be necessary.
- Once your chalk line is established, use screws to hang your hooks on the chalk line. Your gutter will rest on these.
- Lay out your gutter, joiners, and end caps. You'll need a hacksaw and a screwdriver. A power screwdriver is a good idea since there will be a lot of screwing to do.
- Make measurements on the fascia board to determine how much gutter you'll need. Cut the gutter to size, one piece at a time, leaving a little extra space for contraction and expansion of the material.
- Assemble the high end first, setting the end cap and first piece of gutter. Seal the end cap on with the gutter sealer. Attach a joiner, and then the next section of gutter. Seal the joiner where the sections of gutter are connected to avoid leaking. When you get to a corner, connect all of the pieces together, seal them, and you're in business.
- When you reach the spot where the downspout will be, connect the first downspout piece and make sure it's sealed well. This will be the lowest spot in your gutter system and the place where all of the water will run. If sticks and leaves get stuck in the gutter they'll accumulate here and the water will back up and leak. Use two enclosed elbows and a short piece of downspout to place the downspout back against your house. Use a bracket or strap for every five feet or so of downspout and attach it to the outside wall. Put another elbow and a downspout shoe at the bottom. Add a flexible downspout piece to carry the water over the lawn to a low spot or bury sections of the downspout to accomplish the same purpose.
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