If you are planning on installing your own gutters, make sure that you understand how the installation process really works before you begin the project. Here are three mistakes that you need to avoid when installing your own set of new gutters on your house.
#1 Cut Down On Welds
As you plan what type of gutters that you want installed, you should seriously consider seamless or continuous rain gutters. These types of gutters are designed to be cut down to the specific size you need for each side of your house to minimize the number of seams. When you use regular gutters, you have to weld together each piece of gutter together. The seams that you weld are the most vulnerable part of the installation process. The seams that you weld together will be tested under pressure from temperature changes as well as water. The more seams you have in your gutter system, the greater the chance that something could go wrong and your gutters could break and need repair in the future.
#2 Tuck Your Gutters In
Your gutters should not line up with the edge of your home. Instead, your gutters should be lined up so that a couple of inches are tucked under the edge of your roof. You want part of the gutter tucked under the edge of your roof because the water will experience capillary action, which essentially means that, although most water will drip down off the edge of your roof, some of it will be pulled back to the underside of your roof as well, which is why you want the gutters to tuck in under your roof a little bit.
If you have a drip edge installed on your roof already, you should not experience as much under-edge water drippings, but it is still a good idea to tuck your gutters in a few inches.
#3 Use Lots Of Hangers Or Mounting Devices
Finally, you want to make sure that you don't skimp on mounting devices or hangers. You are going to want to use either mounting devices or hangers every couple of feet. These are the devices that attach your gutter to your house.
If you skimp on the hangers or mounting devices, your gutters are not going to have the support they need. When a big rain or storm hits, your gutters can sag or snap under all of the weight that they are supporting if they are not properly attached to your home. They could even rip right off your home. It is better to use more hangers than less.
Click here for more information about using gutters on your home.
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