A gutter is primarily the part of the roof that helps discharge water from a building. Gutters are usually located between roofs and have a special downward flowing duct to a safe disposal site. It would be best to have gutters on your building to ensure the water does not damage the walls while flowing or remain stagnant around the house. This may damage the foundation and act as a breeding site for insects and animals that could harm you and your pets. Here is some information about gutters and their importance to the roof.
Importance of Gutters
Gutters are crucial in a building. They keep your home safe from being damaged by uncontrollably flowing water. When rainwater flows uncontrollably, they tend to erode the sides of the walls, making them weaker. This makes the building susceptible to collapsing and giant cracks. Uncontrolled water can also cause soil erosion around the building, getting rid of healthy soil around your house. This may affect the foundation of the building, which is an essential part of the building.
Rain gutters also protect the fascia from damage and rot from the water aimlessly running. The water can damage your roof if it collects in the roof due to mold forming and rotting, which in turn will weaken parts of the roof. This is dangerous as the roof may cave in at a certain time.
Moisture collecting on windows is also damaging to houses as the inner walls may develop grime and mold, which are dangerous to humans. Water sipping through may also cause flooding in the basement, detrimental to the house’s structure.
Another importance of gutters is that you can use them to collect water which can be used or redirected to other uses such as directing the water to gardens and waterpoints for your animals. This usage of water can help save on water costs.
How Gutters are Installed
As we have seen, roof gutters are necessary for controlling and collecting rainwater around the house. Usually, channels require a technician to install them, but you can also do it at home. You can quickly get the materials and tools to use in your local roofing-supply firms. Some of the tools you might need include:
- Hacksaw
- Drill
- Socket set with hex bits
- Twist drill bits
- Hole saw bit-4 inches
- Pop rivet gun
- Aviation snips
- Chalk line
- Miter saw
- Needle nose pliers
- Tape measure
- Extension ladder
- Ladder brackets
- Aluminum scaffold plank
Here is a guide on how to install gutters:
- Mark the highest and lowest point of the gutter on the fascia. This mark should be 1.25 inches below the metal drip edge. There should be a half-inch gradient change after every ten feet. The gradient change is so that water can flow to the collection point. This process is simply laying out the layout of installing the gutters.
- After successfully planning the layout, bore eighth-inch pilot holes through the facia with the rafter tails as a guide. They are usually behind the fascia. Then you can fasten the brackets with quarter-inch steel lag screws. The screws should comfortably penetrate the rafters.
- You will need to cut the gutter to the length of the roof you have marked and set the brackets at. If the roof runs around a corner, you will need to cut the gutters with an extra 8 inches and join the two gutters with stainless steel screws or rivets.
- Then attach a cap at the end of the gutters. Ensure you seal the rivets so that water does not sip through them. To attach a cap, hold the cap with a single sheet metal screw and drill an eighth an inch hole and install a rivet.
- The next step would be to mark and create the downspout on the lower end of the gutter. The downspout is where the water will drain to the outlet. Outline the outlet on the bottom part of the gutter. Trace the outline inside and cut a hole using a 4inch spot saw drill.
- Then install the gutter by laying it on the brackets installed on the fascia. You do this by screwing the gutter on the brackets through the mounting holes in each bracket. Then you connect your downspout to your gutter using rivets or screws.
We have seen that gutters are vital to the general well-being of the building and the people inside the building. A well-built gutter will help your house last for a very long time while enjoying the gutter. We have also seen that installing a gutter is not that complicated, although you will need a professional when you cannot understand the instructions. For installing and maintaining your gutters, contact Hawk 3. We offer all types of roofing services.
