You want new gutters on your home and are trying to figure out if you should try doing gutter repair or replacement yourself. You go to the Internet and type “how gutters are installed” and find a bunch of articles with several steps that seem doable.
But here’s the thing: the process will be time-consuming.
And here’s the other thing: DIY gutter installation is risky.
Improper installation can lead to water damaging your siding and getting into your basement. And even if you install them correctly, there may be problems with your fascia that you didn’t notice, which could ruin your gutter system in the not-too-distant future.
These are just some of the many issues professional gutter installers, like our team at Renowned Building Solutions, prevent every day. Professional gutter installation will save you money and time and provide a custom gutter system befitting your beautiful home.
In this post, we’ll walk you through how our pros install the best possible gutter and downspout systems for customers. If you’re interested in a free gutter quote, please click below to contact us today!
Step 1: Inspecting Your Old Gutter System
Before we can get into how gutters should be installed, we need to discuss the importance of professional preparation. A lot of articles about how to install gutters on a house will mention inspection in passing and some don’t even talk about it at all. However, gutter pros understand that a detailed initial inspection is the key to a top-performing gutter system.
Fascia Board Inspection
It doesn’t matter how good the new gutters are if the fascia boards they’re installed on aren’t structurally sound. Therefore, professional inspection focuses on closely examining the fascia boards for the warning signs of rot, such as the wood deteriorating or softness.
These red flags aren’t always apparent to the untrained eye. An experienced pro will be able to spot them before they get too bad and compromise your gutters.
Checking Flashing and Other Roofing Components
The initial inspection will also include examining other parts of your roofing system, such as flashings and rain diverters. If your roof doesn’t have these necessary components, then water will infiltrate unprotected areas and cause rot, which will lead to sagging gutters.
Therefore, all vulnerable areas of the roof need the proper protection to keep the water flowing into the gutters. If your roof lacks these components, our contractors will add them during the gutter installation to keep your roofing system watertight.
Gutter Evaluation
As for the gutters and downspouts themselves, we’ll examine them to see if they’re optimally directing water away from your home.
One of the problems we most often see is when the gutters aren’t pitched correctly. Either they don’t slope enough, or they slope the wrong way so that they’re directing too much water to one side of the house.
Downspout Review
Our experts will also evaluate the placement and positioning of your downspouts. Oftentimes, a home’s downspouts won’t be as optimally positioned as they could be to divert water away from the home. If you notice significant puddling on your front walkways and landscape beds after a storm, then your downspouts need improvement.
One of the things we’ll consider is if you have enough downspouts. The typical rule of thumb is you should have one downspout per every twenty linear feet of guttering. However, you may need more than that depending on the dimensions of your home and roofing system.
We’ll also consider if we should shift your downspouts to divert water more effectively. In some cases, regular downspouts will not be able to convey water far enough away from your home’s foundation. Our team will come up with the best custom solution for this, whether it be adding extensions to the downspout or connecting the downspout to an underground pipe.
Ultimately, we’ll create a custom plan for your gutter system to best direct water away from your home. We’ll review this plan with you to make sure you’re happy with it before moving forward with the gutter installation project.
Step 2: Making Detailed Measurements
Once we have the gutter plan in place, we will make all necessary measurements for your new gutters. We understand how important accurate measurements are for getting a gutter system exactly right. So, we always double-check our measurements before starting work.
We start by measuring the eaves of the home to know how long each stretch of guttering needs to be. The best way to get the most exact measurements is to use a chalk line and a level to outline where the gutter will sit at the optimal pitch. We then measure each chalk outline with a measuring tape and mark down the measurements for gutter creation.
We also take careful measurements for your downspouts. A typical downspout consists of an outlet that drops from the gutter and connects to two elbows. The elbows direct water to the main downspout line, which runs parallel to the side of the home. The water then comes out through a kickout at the bottom. We’ll ensure that each part of this system is optimally sized for water diversion.
Once we have all our measurements, we will then use them to create seamless gutters for your home.
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Step 3: Seamless Gutter Creation
Another huge benefit of professional gutter installation is the ability to have seamless gutters custom-made for your home. Our team uses a machine to quickly generate the gutters on-site to our exact measurements.
Conversely, the gutter creation process for DIY installation rarely goes as smoothly or quickly. The reason for this is DIYers typically purchase standardized gutter pieces from a hardware store and then measure and cut them to length, which is time-consuming and cumbersome. The pieces are also rarely long enough to extend across the whole eave. So, they must combine pieces, leading to a gutter system with multiple seams where the pieces connect with each other.
Why Seamless Gutters Are Superior
The problem with seams is they often lead to clogging and leaks over time. Leaves and debris tend to get caught in the seams leading to blockages. And as the seasons change, the gutter pieces expand and contract, pulling apart at the seams and creating areas where water can leak through.
This is why seamless gutters are such a godsend for homeowners. As their name suggests, we make the gutters in one long solid piece, with the only seams at the corners of the roof. This drastically decreases the chances of leaks and clogs, and the unbroken pieces also look better on a home.
Custom-Made for Your Home
Speaking of looks, our team can create seamless gutters in a wide variety of colors to perfectly complement any home’s appearance. So, whether you want the gutters to blend with the color of your home or provide a great-looking accent, we can make that happen for you.
Seamless gutters also come in different sizes depending on the needs of the roof. Typically, a standard 5-inch size works great for most homes. However, a 6-inch gutter is a better choice for steeper roofs that shed rainwater quickly.
This gutter creation process is quick and convenient. It takes minutes for the machine to churn out the length of gutter we need, and we can do it on location. So, you won’t have to wait long for the materials to be ready. We can measure, create and install seamless gutters on a home in less than a day!
Step 4: How Gutters and Downspouts are Installed
Once we’ve created all the gutters and downspouts, the only thing left to do is put them on your home! We’ll start by removing your old gutter system and making any necessary repairs to your roof, such as fascia replacement or flashing installation. This will set your new gutters up for a long life of successfully diverting water.
Gutter Installation Best Practices
When it comes to installing the gutters, we always follow these essential best practices:
- Positioned Below Roof Line – We always hang the gutters low so sliding ice won’t knock them off the roof in the winter.
- Caulk and Crimp the End Caps – We securely seal the end caps to prevent leaks.
- Properly Pitch Gutters – We use a level to ensure each gutter has an ideal slope of half an inch per every 10 feet.
- Careful Bracket Placement – We put all gutter brackets in place before positioning the gutters to avoid damaging the roof while putting them on.
- All Gutters Securely Nailed – Every nail is completely hammered in to prevent the gutter from popping out of place or sagging.
Once we’ve firmly installed all gutters and downspouts, we’ll test the system to ensure it is shedding water properly and correct any issues we notice. We’ll then do a thorough cleanup and use a magnetic roller to ensure no screws, scraps or debris get left behind.
How Long Your Gutters Should Last
All of this will be done in less than a day, and the professionally installed gutters should last you 20-30 years or longer!
Therefore, while professional installation requires a higher upfront cost than DIY installation, it will likely save you money in the long run. Professional installation will lessen the probability that expensive problems will pop up with your gutters. And because seamless gutters don’t clog or leak as easily, you won’t need to have your gutters cleaned nearly as often.
Furthermore, you won’t have to waste your time and energy installing your gutters. Instead, you can leave it to the pros and spend the time doing things you’ll enjoy a whole lot more instead!
Want Professional Gutter Installation on Your Home?
Now you have an idea of how gutters are installed by professionals. Our team covers all the details, including ones that less experienced eyes will miss. We then take all necessary measurements and custom-make gutters to match the home’s unique needs. And we’re able to complete gutter installation in less than a day, whereas a DIY project might take multiple days. For all these reasons, professional installation is a wise choice.
Wondering who installs gutters in your area? At Renowned Building Solutions, we provide expert gutter installation in Northern Illinois, Southern Wisconsin, Indiana and North Carolina. Our team always delivers quality work and unparalleled customer service for the most enjoyable gutter installation experience possible.
Please call 844-736-6961 to request a free quote or click below to learn more about our gutter installation services.
