Your gutter system protects your home in multiple ways. From funneling rainwater away from your foundation to preventing soil erosion around your home, you want to make sure you have one that’s properly installed so it can stand up to rain and snow. Here are some tips from some expert gutter guard installers who are part of the Gutter Helmet® team.
Choose the Right Type of Gutter
If you haven’t realized it already, gutters come in a range of sizes, materials and gauges. The K-style aluminum gutter in a five-inch width is the standard for most residential installations. Gutter gauge, or thickness, is equally important. Medium-weight .027-gauge aluminum is considered the industry standard, while heavyweight .032-gauge is ideal for long gutter runs.
Understand the Importance of Pitch
One of the biggest mistakes made by homeowners is installing gutters level. If you mistakenly do this, your gutters won’t drain effectively. You want a very gradual pitch of one to two inches of decline toward the downspout for every 40 feet in length. This allows water to flow properly without overwhelming the system.
Install Proper Support
Although there are different ways to hang a gutter, make sure you follow the gutter manufacturer’s recommendations for its gutters. This includes spacing the hangers properly. If you fail to include sufficient support and you have heavy water or snow accumulation in your gutters, you may end up with gutters that sag or pull away from your home. The typical hanger spacing recommendation is no more than 32 inches apart.
Know the Proper Installation Location
Rather than sitting at the exact edge of the roof, a gutter should be installed a few inches under the roof to catch all the water runoff. Drip edge flashing installed under the first layer of shingles further assists water in flowing from the edge of the roof into the gutter.
Seamless Gutters Are Better
If you’re looking for gutters with the least chance of leaking, go seamless. Seams are the weakest points in a gutter system, so plan for as few seams as possible. You may not have the tools to create seamless gutters so consider having a contractor in your area produce seamless sections for you to avoid potential problems associated with sectional gutters.
Work with a Gutter Helmet® Gutter Guard Installer
Top off your new gutter system with Gutter Helmet® gutter covers. If you’ve been checking gutter cover reviews, no doubt you’ve noticed the best reviews of gutter guards are for Gutter Helmet products. If, after reading these tips about proper gutter system installation, you’re unsure if it really is a DIY project, talk to our gutter guard installer; you’ll find they also design and install gutter systems perfect for Gutter Helmet products.
We’d be honored to see your name next to your reviews of the best gutter guards on the different review sites. Call Gutter Helmet at (800) 824-3772 to discuss your gutter and gutter protection needs. Our installers always provide free estimates.
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