How To Fit Guttering
Have you stopped for a while and think about your home’s gutters? In most cases, the majority of us may only notice the importance of our gutters once they get clogged, broken or are already leaking. The thing is, gutters play an important role in collecting the rainwater so it won’t find its way inside the home and weaken its structural integrity or cause damp and rot.
2 minute read
Rain gutters can be susceptible to clogging and damage, particularly by tree branches, leaves and other debris. If you need to install a new gutter, you can easily do it yourself, following this simple guide.
How gutters work
Gutters offer essential benefits to your home including:
- Preventing your home from flooding
- Protecting your foundations from cracks and other water damage
- Protecting the exterior paintwork
- Preventing exterior staining
- Protecting the landscape near your home from heavy rain damage
DIY gutter installation
It is understandable that when you work on gutters, you’ll have to use a ladder. Make sure you use proper caution and use a sturdy ladder or, if applicable, use a fixed scaffolding if a ladder would not be realistic.
- Draw a sketch. You can start by creating a rough guide for your gutter plan.
- Measure the length of the guttering needed. Mark the location for your downpipes and determine how many are appropriate.
Tip: Your downpipe should lead away from your house and be free from obstacles, electric meters and the pavement.
- Purchase the guttering needed and the appropriate number of downpipes, as well as the attachment brackets.
- Depending on the measurements you have, cut the gutter accordingly. Gutters will rarely be the correct size off the bat.
- It would be wise to join the guttering together while you’re on the ground, since it could be a real problem on the top of the ladder. Mount the gutter brackets roughly every 18 inches.
- Bind the downpipe connector and the end cap to the gutter.
- Mount the gutter.
- Connect the gutter and the downpipe using the downpipe connector. You’ll want to ensure that the narrow end of your downpipe faces down and towards the proper orientation. Brackets can be used here to prevent the downpipe from moving in high winds.
- Seal the gutter. Finish off by ensuring every seam or joint is sealed thoroughly. Gutter sealant is available for this, which will also create a waterproof seal.
Gutter maintenance tips:
- For an efficient flow of water, make sure you clear your gutters from debris like leaves and tree branches.
- Your gutter run must be designed slightly sloped so water runs efficiently towards the downspout.
- Should leaks occur, it might be best to replace the joint rather than patching it up with sealant.
*How To articles are intended as advice only. Please refer to your completion documents for specific information on lease and covenant restrictions and maintenance of your home.*
