DIY Gutter Install Guide for 2023

Most likely, if you’re reading this, you you want to DIY this 2023 and install your own gutters. If this 2023 you have made the decision to replace your gutters on your own rather than hire a professional. Well done!

Gutters are one of the more do-it-yourself-friendly home improvement chores, but there are still risks for untrained homeowners. We believe you can handle anything as long as you are cautious, exact, and follow these instructions to ensure that it is done perfectly the first time.

There are a few things you should be aware of before starting the gutter installation process on your home. Gutter installation might be done in a correct way or a wrong method, and we’ll help you avoid the usual errors other homeowners have made. We’ll start with the preliminary actions you ought to do.

Step 1: Plan and Measure Your Gutters Project

You must measure everything and make a strategy before buying supplies or starting the endeavor.
This preliminary work is essential to ensuring that the gutter job goes off without a hitch.

Without accurate measurements and a well-thought-out plan, you risk ending up with too many or too little materials, or a project that is completely halted, depending on where you get stuck along the way.
Here are a few methods you can use to begin organizing this big project.

Size Up Your Roof

Every edge of your roof where your gutters will be installed needs to be measured again. This includes the location of the downspouts. To use as a measuring guide for the new gutters, you can also save your old gutters.

Make sure you measure the gutters’ whole length, from end to end, before measuring the roof. And two downspouts must be installed for every measurement more than 40 feet. To guarantee adequate water flow, you should install a downspout every 30 to 40 feet around your gutters.

Signify Your Slopes

Every gutter is installed at a progressive angle even though it appears to be installed in a straight line to ensure proper water flow (commonly referred to as gutter slope). When measuring your downslopes, it is best to descend 1/4 inch every 10 feet.

Therefore, your gutter will be one whole inch lower on one end of the gutter than the other if the longest side of your roof is 40 feet long. This won’t be obvious, especially if you build a downspout at a height of 30 feet and begin your gutter’s downward slope from there. These areas should be marked with a washable chalk line.

In order to allow water to drain via the downspouts and away from the home, these slanted parts are necessary.

Mark the locations of the downspouts.

Every 30 to 40 feet, your downspouts must enter your gutters. Once you reach that point, you should pre-cut these holes where they will be put. But measuring them beforehand will make sure you have enough material and gutters that are the right length for when it’s time to install your downspouts.

Additional Advice for Arranging the Installation of Your Gutters

• Install downspouts in locations where water must be diverted away from the house, avoiding obstructions like electric meters, hose bibs, and air conditioners.
• Place your downspouts around the home covertly instead. This will still allow them to function while making them less noticeable and unattractive.
• Install bigger downspouts on gutters that will drain the most rain or are close to a roof slope with a steep slope. Also important if you reside somewhere that experiences regular, intense rain.
• For gutters on larger properties with lengths of at least 40 feet, slant them at both ends with a downspout on either side.
• Look at your neighbors’ gutters if you live in a community with houses that are similarly constructed. This may help you determine what will work.

 

Step 2: Gather the Equipment and Materials You’ll Need

You can make sure you have the right tools for the project now that you have accurate measurements of your home and how much material you’ll need. When purchasing your gutter supplies, if you don’t already have any of these tools, you can get them at the hardware shop.

Equipment required for gutter removal:

• Work gloves
• Sturdy ladder
• Pry bar/hammer
• Power drill
• Screwdriver
• Caulk & caulking gun
• Wood putty & putty knife
• Sandpaper

Tools needed for gutter installation:

• Cordless drill
• Crimper
• Duckbill tin snips
• Offset tin snips
• Extension ladder
• Hex head driver
• Pop rivet tool
• 1/4″ hex head screws
• 1/8″ medium length rivets
• 1 1/4″ self-tapping hex head screws
• Downspouts & elbows
• Gutters
• Flashing
• Hanging strap
• Gutter sealant
• Work gloves
• Toolbelt

Now, you’re ready to start!

Step 3: Remove Your Downspouts

Before you can separate the gutters from the house, you must first take out the downspouts. When they are removed, if they are still attached to the gutters, it may be very challenging and time-consuming to get them off.

By releasing the brackets holding the downspouts to your house, you can remove them from the elbow. Then, repairs can be made to the gutter brackets holding them up.

Step 4: Discard the old gutters

During the process of removing the old gutters, avoid damaging anything. You should take your time and carefully remove them because failing to do so will only result in you having to do extra effort. Follow our instructions to avoid damaging the soffit that will be used to install the new gutters or stripping any screws.

You should first inspect your gutters to see where you need to take off brackets, screws, and nails. To remove these will require more care and time. Start using your hammer or pry bar to remove nails, and a handheld screwdriver to get rid of drill-out rivets and screws.

A word of advice: if it’s going to rain and you don’t have time

Step 5: Fill in Any Holes or Gaps

After carefully separating and removing each component, you should patch up any holes that were left in the fascia board. You can seal any vinyl penetrations with caulk. Fill the gaps with caulk, then smooth the surface with your finger.

With the aid of a putty knife and wood putty, any holes in the wood can be filled and smoothed out. To start fresh with your new gutter system, sand off any rough edges.

Step 6: Installing Your New Gutters

It’s time to install your brand-new gutter system now that you’ve managed to remove the outdated gutters.
Here is the information you need to finish the installation.

1) Cut Your Gutters

It’s likely that the gutters you bought will be too lengthy for your needs, and you will need to trim them down. Before you start installing your gutters, trim them to the appropriate size based on the measurements you took at the beginning and taking your downslope into consideration. A hacksaw should be adequate, although tin snips can be useful for smaller, more precise cuts.

It’s a good idea to take into account the gutter material before handling and cutting your new gutters. Although they dent very easily, aluminum gutters are simple to cut.

Vinyl gutters are popular among DIYers because they are simple to use, but keep in mind that in colder climates, they can become brittle.

2) Mount Your Supports

The support brackets for your gutters must first be fastened to the fascia before you can start installing them. To make it easier to screw the long hex head screws into the fascia, start by drilling starter holes or pilot holes.

It can be a little difficult to get through, so before you start, make sure your ladder is strong and your cordless drill is fully charged.

• Note: these brackets will be installed using the initial chalk line for your downslope measurements as a guide.

3) Placing the Gutters

The gutters will now be positioned into those support brackets. After that, fasten them together by screwing the gutter into the fascia. Then, to add more protection, you’ll use caulk or gutter sealant to seal over. This is also the time to install any gutter guards and gutter flashing (which keeps water out of the seam between your gutter and the fascia).

4) Attach Your Downspouts Last

After the gutters are installed, insert your downspouts and elbows into the previously constructed precut holes. Here, there are a few things you must accomplish. First, place the downspout elbow’s end into the already-cut hole, sealing the seam with a good amount of sealant to keep it stable.

Allow this to completely dry. After that, fasten the support brackets to the house’s side so that your downspout can flow down the side of the building and onto the ground. Install the downspouts you had previously cut and measured with care, being sure to seal all seams.

Common Gutter Installation Mistakes to Avoid

Here are a few important gutter installation DOs and DON’Ts.

#1 Damaging Gutters During Removal, Prep, or Installation

Heavy-duty structures like gutters can be challenging for beginners to work with. They can be tricky to cut and manage, and if you don’t know how to handle them, they could get damaged.

Homeowners who perform their own maintenance must take additional care not to scuff up the fascia, soffits, or gutters when removing and replacing them. However, poor measuring and cutting methods present the greatest threat to gutter damage.

You won’t have to go through the inconvenience of having to buy new gutters because the first ones were dented, cut incorrectly, or too short.

#2 Purchasing the Wrong Size Gutters

Yes, gutters come in different sizes. They can be broader or more narrow, and your climate and rainfall can determine which size you need. In most cases, the gutters you remove to replace with new ones will be the right size, so keep a section of that to ensure you get the right size. You could even bring it with you to the big box home improvement store for comparison.

The last thing you want is to cut your gutter lengths and install your brackets and downspouts cut and everything, just to have the gutter not fit into your brackets. So always double-check your gutter size.

#3 Attempting to Work Alone

Do not attempt to install gutters yourself without assistance.
Whenever you are working up a ladder, have a companion with you.
They can protect you from harm, and if something does go wrong, they can assist you.
The majority of people will assist you if you give them some beer and pizza, right?

Why Hiring a Professional Might Be Your Best Option

The gutter system in your home is crucial to how it functions as a whole. The gutters aid in the removal of rainwater, protect your home’s foundation and landscaping from damage and flooding, and are useful when a sudden thaw of snow occurs and all of the snow melts at once.

Because: A qualified contractor knows how to properly install gutters.

• They have the tools on hand needed to do it right.
• They are experts in roofing and gutter systems and know what to do vs. not to do.
• They have safety equipment to get up on a ladder and avoid injury.
• They often offer maintenance plans to ensure your gutters are kept clean and in good shape for years to come.
• Although gutter installation can appear simple at first, it should not be taken lightly. If you don’t think you can manage installing guttersPlease call the experts if you don’t want to risk getting hurt or damaging your house on your own!For each home with gutters, Northface Construction offers professional gutter installation. So call us right away to get going!