How to Install New Guttering
Planning & Prep
Before you start you will need to remove and dispose of all your old guttering to replace with the new. As is it generally quite light, removing existing guttering should be easy, however if you are struggling, ensure you ask for help!
Guttering which has become blocked can cause damp problems, for example if you experience significant leaf fall, then you may want to consider fitting a leaf protection system.
Let’s do this right
- You should allow for a fall of around 3mm pet metre, towards the outlet to ensure the rain water runs freely along the gutter
- Guttering is normally sold in either 2 or 4 metre lengths, however if you do need different sizes to this it is very easy to cut to the size you require by using a hacksaw.
- If you live in an area which is prone to heavy snow falls then you should position the fascia brackets so they are no more than 400mm apart from each other.
- You may want to consider installing a water butt or rainwater storage tank to catch the rain water and use in the garden or greenhouse.
Stay Safe!
- Always wear protective gloves when removing, installing or handling the guttering
- Wear safety goggles when drilling or sawing the guttering in place.
- If working at height, you could consider hiring scaffolding which his recommended. However, if you’re using a ladder, ensure you take care when suing it and move is regularly to avoid over stretching. We recommend having someone to hold the ladder whilst you work to abide by health and safety guidelines.
Step by Step
- To establish the position of the running outlet or stop end outlet, hand a plumb bob from the fascia to ensure it hands directly over the drain where you require it.
- Mark the positioning of the outlet with a pencil and draw on the fixing holes onto the fascia, make sure it is no more than 50mm below the level of the roof.
- Start by drilling the holes then fit the outlet, make sure to use the screws recommended by the manufacturer and taking care not to over-tighten.
- Measure from the outlet around 100mm from the opposite end of the fascia. Position and fix a fascia bracket, ensuring that it is higher than the outlet and the fall to the outlet is about 3mm per metre. If the outlet you are installing is situated in the middle of the fascia, make sure you repeat the process at both ends.
- Tie a string from the fascia bracket to the outlet and pull it tight.
- Use a spirit level to check the string runs downhill from the fascia bracket to the outlet by around 3mm per metre, adjust if it doesn’t run downhill.
- From the fitted fascia bracket, measure and mark with the pencil the position of the remaining brackets. They should be touching the string to maintain an even fall and should be no more than 1m apart and no more than 150mm from any angle or stopend.
- Fix all the remaining fascia brackets as before, make sure you understand the manufactures instructions and take care not to over-tighten.
- Before you fit the guttering, start by lubricating the gutter seals with a silicone spray, as this will help to make the fitting installation easier and will aid with expansion and contraction. Ensure you repeat this step for all the gutter seals as you go through the installation.
- Working from the outlet towards the highest point, fit the first length of gutter by tilting it so that it sits beneath the back clip, then push down at the front to snap it into position.
- At the end of the first piece of guttering you have used, fit a union bracket by screwing it into the fascia. Ensure you are using the screws which are recommended by the manufacturer.
- Fit the next section of gutter into the union bracket, being sure the joints line up and the insertion depth that is marked onto the fittings.
- Continue to join the lengths of gutter in the same way you have previously completed.
- Measure the final gap then use a hacksaw to cut a piece of the gutter to the length you require.
- Fit an external stop end to complete the gutter run.
If you need any further information please call our helpful team for free advice!