GUTTERS direct rainwater away from your house and help to keep your basement or crawlspace dry. In addition, a good gutter system will help protect your siding and house walls from rot.
Although guttering can be a difficult task if you're unfamiliar with the procedure, it doesn't have to be impossible.
This article provides you all the basic information you need, such as how to install your own gutters and what parts you need to buy. With these tips you'll soon be well on your way to a newly guttered house!
The parts:
In addition to the various types of gutters available, there is also a huge variety as far as the different parts are concerned. It can be overwhelming to go into a DIY store and see all of these parts if you don't understand their purposes. Here's a quick review of the main components for a new gutter system.
Straight gutter pieces: These are the long (usually 10-foot) pieces that will make up most of your gutter system.
Downspouts: These important pieces are the vertical attachments that will carry rainwater safely away from your foundation. Depending on the situation you may also need elbows, which give the downspout a 45-degree turn.
Mitres: A mitre accommodates for the corners of a house. An inside turn requires an outside mitre, while an outside turn requires an inside mitre.
End Cap: If you need to end the line, you will need an end cap to seal off the end of your system.
Slip Connector: This piece joins two pieces together. You'll need a sealant in addition to slip connectors.
Installing a system:
In order to install a system you will need a few extra parts. To hang gutters you can use either the spike and ferrule method or the hidden hanger method. The spike and ferrule method uses a ferrule to keep the gutters open fully while the spike is driven through to attach the gutters to the house. With the hidden hanger method (becoming more popular because this method makes cleaning gutters easier) you have a hanger that attaches to the house with a screw.
To install a system, you must first make very accurate measurements of your house. It may help to have a professional help you with the measuring and picking out of pieces. You'll also need to mark out where to place your supports. When laying out and attaching your pieces, you will need to add a slip connector and then sealant to make all joints waterproof.
Caring for your gutters:
Cleaning out your gutters is a simple (though messy) task. You'll need work gloves, a gutter brush, and a garden hose. Start by using your hands to scoop out all of the large debris. Next, use the gutter brush to clear away any slimy residue in your gutters. The final step is to rinse your gutters down using a simple garden hose.
Guttering doesn't have to be difficult, and now you have the knowledge you need for getting started with your next project or maintaining your current gutter system.
