How to install gutters

Metal gutters are a cheap and easy way of keeping your home safe. Gutters in general are a very important feature. They keep water from pooling around your house and possibly infiltrating in its foundation and doing serious damage.

Tools needed:

  • Ladder
  • Metal gutter system
  • Measuring tape
  • Saw
  • Rivets
  • Sheet metal screws
  • Drill
  • Offset tin snips or duckbill tin snips
  • Sealant caulk

Preparations

Plan the position of your gutters and downspouts so it doesn’t interfere with any electric cables or things like that. You may need at least an extra set of hands to help you. You will have to work on a ladder and set each gutter into place. You must examine the fascia and make sure the wood isn’t damaged. If it is, replace it or mount a board over it. It’s a good idea to paint the wood to protect it from rotting. After that you can install the gutters.

Measure and cut

You must find out the right measurements of the gutters you will need. You can either measure the existing gutters or, if there aren’t any, measure the fascia. Allow an extra inch of the gutter to stretch past the end of the fascia.

Assemble the gutters

When assembling the gutters you must overlap them from 3 to 4 inches. Use caulk to seal the seams and join the rivets together. The gutters must slope slightly downwards, towards the downspout.

Attach the end caps

Attach an end cap on the cut end of the gutter and caulk the joint on the inside. Use rivets for this task.

Downspout measurements

Cut an outlet where the downspouts will be placed. Measure from the corner of the house to the center of the place where the downspout will be. Place these measurements on the gutter you want to install. This will make the gutters look more appealing.

Downspout assembling

Attach the downspouts once the gutters are into place. Make sure the spouts have the crimped parts of the elbows facing down. Use sheet metal screws instead of rivets, because they can be removed for cleaning and bolted black on.

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