Install gutters to control rain water
Aug 27, 2010
GUTTERS, also known as eaves troughs, are normally used to drain and collect rain water from the roof. For this reason, having gutters installed on your house is a necessity.
BY THOMAS PERE
GUTTERS, also known as eaves troughs, are normally used to drain and collect rain water from the roof. For this reason, having gutters installed on your house is a necessity.
Unfortunately, many homes do not have gutters and the few that have them are in a sorry state. You can have gutters on your house or repair the existing ones without digging into your pocket.
Their fitting and maintenance does not necessarily require experts, you can do it your self since it is not a difficult job. All you need is proper planning, knowledge of gutter installation procedures and the required material.
Before undertaking this venture, have these: a drill machine, screwdriver bits, hacksaw blade, measuring tape, ladder, rust proof screws, gutter sections and other necessary components such as elbows, end pieces, corners and drop outlets.
You also need Silicon caulk (game), chalk line, a carpenter’s level and one string level. With these, you can now start planning your gutter system.
Take a look at your house and determine the spot to install them. Select a spot that will trap the rain water from the roof and direct it away from the house.
Then measure the roof length so that you can cut and fit the gutter sections properly beneath the roof. A gutter section is normally about 10ft long.
By knowing the gutter section length and the roof edge length, you will be able to determine the number of gutter sections you will have to fix to the roof edge. Have a look at the gutter layout and also the roof measurements. This will enable you calculate the number of gutter components you will need to attach.
To hold the gutter sections properly and to bear the water load, install brackets after every 20 inches or more. Before fixing the gutter sections, mark a spot about ½ or 1 inch beneath the roof edge, away from the downspout as well as towards the downspout. See that these points are marked and check with the help of a string level.
Then determine the slope to enable the smooth flow of water through it. The gutter slope should be approximately 1/15 inch for a distance of each foot. Also, calculate the distance from the first marking at the downspout end and mark them with the help of chalk towards both ends.
After, install gutter components such as brackets and corners at the downspout end. Using a ladder, install the gutter sections in the brackets and connect all of them with gutter connectors.
Adjust the gutter sections by cutting them with a hacksaw blade. Water can sometimes leak out of the gutter seams. In order to avoid leakage, take some silicon caulk and spread it over the length of the gutter section through the caulking machine.
After successfully installing the gutters, check for all the fixtures and attachments done so that nothing is loosely fixed. Have the elbow fixed beneath the drop outlet, measure further, cut the downspout and fix it at the bottom of the drop outlet.
Finally, attach mounting brackets to the downspout in order to hold it in place. Once again, perform a check on everything and admire the work you have done without professional assistance.
Usually, the work involved in repairs is far much less compared to fixing them for the first time. Common gutter problems are: getting clogged with dirt, replacements of rusted ones and aligning and mending disjointed points.
When repairing, a few tools are used. However, it is better to have someone to work with in order to help you since it involves climbing a ladder. Besides, sometimes your hands may not reach difficult spots.
GUTTERS, also known as eaves troughs, are normally used to drain and collect rain water from the roof. For this reason, having gutters installed on your house is a necessity.
Unfortunately, many homes do not have gutters and the few that have them are in a sorry state. You can have gutters on your house or repair the existing ones without digging into your pocket.
Their fitting and maintenance does not necessarily require experts, you can do it your self since it is not a difficult job. All you need is proper planning, knowledge of gutter installation procedures and the required material.
Before undertaking this venture, have these: a drill machine, screwdriver bits, hacksaw blade, measuring tape, ladder, rust proof screws, gutter sections and other necessary components such as elbows, end pieces, corners and drop outlets.
You also need Silicon caulk (game), chalk line, a carpenter’s level and one string level. With these, you can now start planning your gutter system.
Take a look at your house and determine the spot to install them. Select a spot that will trap the rain water from the roof and direct it away from the house.
Then measure the roof length so that you can cut and fit the gutter sections properly beneath the roof. A gutter section is normally about 10ft long.
By knowing the gutter section length and the roof edge length, you will be able to determine the number of gutter sections you will have to fix to the roof edge. Have a look at the gutter layout and also the roof measurements. This will enable you calculate the number of gutter components you will need to attach.
To hold the gutter sections properly and to bear the water load, install brackets after every 20 inches or more. Before fixing the gutter sections, mark a spot about ½ or 1 inch beneath the roof edge, away from the downspout as well as towards the downspout. See that these points are marked and check with the help of a string level.
Then determine the slope to enable the smooth flow of water through it. The gutter slope should be approximately 1/15 inch for a distance of each foot. Also, calculate the distance from the first marking at the downspout end and mark them with the help of chalk towards both ends.
After, install gutter components such as brackets and corners at the downspout end. Using a ladder, install the gutter sections in the brackets and connect all of them with gutter connectors.
Adjust the gutter sections by cutting them with a hacksaw blade. Water can sometimes leak out of the gutter seams. In order to avoid leakage, take some silicon caulk and spread it over the length of the gutter section through the caulking machine.
After successfully installing the gutters, check for all the fixtures and attachments done so that nothing is loosely fixed. Have the elbow fixed beneath the drop outlet, measure further, cut the downspout and fix it at the bottom of the drop outlet.
Finally, attach mounting brackets to the downspout in order to hold it in place. Once again, perform a check on everything and admire the work you have done without professional assistance.
Usually, the work involved in repairs is far much less compared to fixing them for the first time. Common gutter problems are: getting clogged with dirt, replacements of rusted ones and aligning and mending disjointed points.
When repairing, a few tools are used. However, it is better to have someone to work with in order to help you since it involves climbing a ladder. Besides, sometimes your hands may not reach difficult spots.