How to Install Home Gutters

Gutters help protect your home.

Gutters are important to the long life of your home. They collect rainwater and direct it away from the side of the house and foundation. Gutters also help keep the sidewalks clear of excess water, for safety and enhanced curb appeal. Installing gutters before the next rainy season is an investment in the value of your home.

Things You'll Need

• Gutters, including endcaps
• Downspout pieces and couplers
• Fastening brackets with hardware
• Chalk line
• Measuring tape
• String
• String level
• Caulk gun with silicone sealant
• Hammer
• Drill with bits
• Tinsnips
• Sheet-metal screws or rivet gun with rivets
• Hacksaw
• Safety glasses

Instructions

1. Measure the total length of the horizontal fascia boards underneath your roof.

2. Determine at which corner the downspout will be installed. At the opposite end, drive a nail halfway into the fascia board, approximately 1 1/2 inches from the roof edge and 1 1/2 inches from the end of the board. This is the beginning reference point.

3. Tie a string to the nail. Stretch the string to the corner where the downspout will be installed. Make a reference mark at this spot, 1 1/2 inches below the roof edge and 1 1/2 inches from the end of the board, using a string level. Measure the distance between the marks. This measurement is the length of the gutter assembly, including couplings and downspout.

4. Calculate the appropriate drop for the gutter between the two points you marked. A gutter must slope downward 1/4 inch for every 10 feet of length. For example, if your gutter is 30 feet long, divide 30 feet by 10 feet. Multiply the result, 3, by 1/4 inch. The drop must be 3/4 inch.

5. Mark the calculated drop on the downspout end of the gutter, below the other mark there. In the example above, this third reference mark would be 3/4 inch lower than the other mark on the board. Snap a chalk line between the first and third reference points.

6. Cut the gutter to the needed length with tinsnips. For a longer gutter, cut and join two pieces with a coupler. Fit all pieces together and measure teh overall length.

7. Take gutter apart. Caulk all joints with silicone sealant. Reassemble gutter.

8. Install fastening brackets to the fascia boards, aligning the top of the brackets with the chalk line.

9. Snap the gutter into the brackets. Secure the gutter with the remaining part of the bracket.

10. Assemble and install the downspout into the gutter. Secure the downspout with aluminum straps or screws.

Tips & Warnings

• Proper measurement is the key to the success of this project.