What Does Gutter Replacement Involve?
Guttering requires regular maintenance and cleaning to prevent dilapidation and deterioration over time. Some of the most common issues with gutters:
- Rusting through, due to standing water or moist debris
- Becoming leaky
- Pulling away from the roof or sagging
- Fading or otherwise looking old
- Becoming dented or damaged due to rough weather
The following steps outline the process involved in replacing gutters:
1. Layout Lines
- Lines are chalked to the highest point of the gutter run on the fascia 1 ¼ inches below the flashing
- At the other end of the fascia (or at the downpipe location if there’s one in the middle of the run), the low end of the gutter run is also marked, to assure symmetry and ensuring the gutters will be ‘level’.
2. Brackets and Fascia
- A ⅛-inch-diameter pilot hole is drilled through the fascia and into the rafter at each mark previously chalked out.
- Fascia brackets are then fastened.
Fascia brackets with ¼-inch stainless steel hex or other screw long enough to penetrate rafters 2 inches are then used to secure the brackets.
3. End caps
- At the square-cut end of the gutter, attached are a spherical end cap with aluminium pop rivets. (If the gutter doesn’t wrap a corner)
4. Downpipes
- Downpipes are then marked to their location on the low end of the gutter. Drilling a ¼-inch-diameter hole through the centre of the circular outline.
- The gutters are then turned over and cut to allow for the downpipe.
5. Installing Gutter
- The gutter into is then layed onto the brackets that have been screwed to the fascia.
- The gutter is then rotated upward until its back edge slips into the hooks at the top of the back of the brackets.
- The gutters are then secured to the bracket with a 1-inch-long #8-32 stainless steel machine screw and flanged nut.
6. Install Downpipes
- Downpipes are fastened and secured to the the gutter with four pop rivets or screws.
- Downpipe Swan Neck or Dog Legs are then secured to the outlet tube protruding down from the gutter.
- All downpipes are then fastened together with pop rivets or screws.
