Gutter Installation: What’s Involved And Should You Hire Experts?

Your gutters are an essential part of your roof, but they’re one that’s easy to overlook. They are made to redirect rain water away from your roof, and allow it to run down into drains safely. If your gutters need replacing, it’s something you want to get handled swiftly. Here’s what you need to know about gutter installation.

The Importance Of Your Gutters

Firstly, why is it so important that you have gutters? Without gutters, rainwater would drip down your house siding and cause damage over time. That includes leaks and cosmetic damage. If the water isn’t making its way into drains, then the water will seep into the ground around your home, and possibly into your basement. 

It’s important to keep your existing gutters in good condition too, as broken or blocked gutters lead to more problems. If it’s broken or has leaking issues, then again water will make its way into the siding and the ground, rather than the drains. If they’re blocked, that will allow water to back up onto the roof. That’s going to lead to eventual roof leaks, as well as potential ice dams in the winter. 

As such, you can see just why your gutters are so important. Without them, you risk leaks and damage over time. 

When Should You Replace Your Gutters?

Next, you need to know when it’s time for gutter installation. Typically, the best time to replace them is when you start seeing signs of damage. Add your gutters to your checklist when you’re inspecting your roof, and if you see any damage look into having them replaced. 

That damage can look like cracks or fractures in the gutter, gutters that are sagging, mold or rust on the gutters, or unexplained nails screws making their way to the ground around your house. Also, your gutters are likely the culprit if you have a leaking basement, or you’re dealing with issues with your foundation. 

At this point, make sure you’re examining your gutters. If you find issues with them you’ll want to look at replacing them, so you can prevent further issues. 

How Gutter Installation Works

So, how is new guttering installed? The process happens over several steps, like so: 

Marking the gutter layout: Firstly, you’ll need to mark out where your new gutter will go. That includes marking where the highest part of the guttering will be, which should be 1 ¼ inches below the metal drip edge of the roof. You’ll also need to mark the slope of the gutter to ensure water can run towards the downspout. The gutter should slope ½ inch for every to feet you install. 

Also at this point, you’ll need to check the fascia board for rot. If there is evidence of damage, it will need to be replaced too before you can start installing the gutters. 

Attaching fascia brackets: Next you’ll attach the fascia brackets that your new guttering will sit on. To do this, you need to look for the rafter tails behind the fascia. This isn’t too difficult, as they’re around 16 inches apart and there will be nail heads showing you where they are. To attach fascia brackets, add a chalk mark on every other rafter tail, and add the brackets with a ¼ inch stainless steel lag screw. 

Cutting gutters to size: At this point you’re ready to start adding gutters. The first step is to cut the guttering to the right length for your roof line. The best way to do this is with a hacksaw, or a 12 inch power miter saw. 

If the gutter will go around a corner, then you’ll need to cut it at a 45 degree angle so the gutter will fit against the section on the other side. If you’re going to need more than one length of gutter, overlap the two by 8 inches and stainless steel screws or pop rivets to connect them. When doing this, add the screws or rivets in the sides of the gutter, never the bottom of it. 

Adding end caps: While the guttering is still on the ground, you need to add the end caps. These are attached with aluminum pop rivets. Adding siliconized caulk will ensure that the gutter is watertight. 

Cutting downspout holes: Again, while you still have the gutters on the ground the downspout holes need to be drilled in. Mark where the holes need to go on the gutter, and then use a 4 inch diameter hole saw on a drill to create it. You can also do this with a hammer and a cold chisel. 

Installing the gutters: Now the gutters are ready to go on your house. Law them onto the brackets, and rotate it until the back edge slips onto the hooks at the back of the brackets. Then, you can secure the gutters using screws. 

If there are joints in the gutters, then these need to be covered with a strip miter. These are strips of aluminum, that help keep the gutter watertight. You can also add more caulk to these strips to ensure against leakages. 

Finally, you’ll need to connect the downspouts to the new gutter. This is done with pop rivets or screws to hold them in place. 

Should You Hire An Expert?

Installing new guttering is a job that you can do if you’re confident in DIY, but often its best to have an expert do it for you. First and foremost, they have to experience to install them safely, which is difficult for a DIYer to handle. 

Plus, an expert will have all the right equipment to cut and install your guttering for you. That ensures that they’ll get it right first time, so you should have perfectly functioning gutters as soon as they’re installed. As such, it’s always worth calling an expert to help you with your gutters.

Conclusion

Now you know why your gutters are important, and how you can install new ones when yours need replacing. Make sure you keep an eye on your gutters so you can replace them when needed. 

And if you live in Virginia areas such as Middleburg, Winchester, Leesburg, or Warrenton, we’ll be happy to help you with your gutter and roofing needs.