Where to Place Drain Gutters
Proper drainage of rainwater away from a home's foundation is a very important step in preventing basement and crawlspace flooding. Homes which lack a working drainage gutter system can develop soil erosion. Over time, this can do substantial damage requiring major construction repairs to the foundation. Regardless of the importance of drainage gutters, not all homes have them.
Gutters and downspouts were designed for a specific purpose. That purpose is to remove excess rainwater runoff from house roofs. According to construction experts, homes which do not have a working gutter system need to have at the very least a six-inch overhang from the roof. It is also advisable that a concrete apron with a proper drainage slope of at least 1/2 inch per 10 linear feet be installed around the home's foundation. This helps to divert water, which spills over the fascia boards and prevents it from undermining the foundation.
For homeowners who want to add extra protection from water damage to their home, drainage gutters are a good option. This is especially true if the structure was built with a gable roof. This style of a roof can yield excessive amounts of rain water runoff during heavy downpours.
Installing a drainage system can be done by either a professional contractor or the home owner who has a bit of carpentry knowledge.
Gutter Installation
Supplies:
- Gutter
- Downspouts
- Downspout elbows
- Gutter ends
- Fascia brackets
- 3/8 inch lag screws
- Saw
- Ladder
- Chalk line
- Silicone sealant
- Tape Measure
- Pad and pencil
- Use your ladder to access the fascia board on the house where the gutter is to be installed.
- Measure the length with the tape measure. The gutter material typically comes in 10 foot sections. Determine how many fascia brackets you will need. These should be placed at the minimum every 16 inches. Write down all of your information.
- Take your written information to your local hardware or home improvement store and purchase your gutter material and fascia brackets. Remember when purchasing your materials, don't forget the downspout and downspout connectors, end caps, screws and sealants to complete the job.
- Use your ladder again and take your chalk line and set a straight line on the fascia board in the location the gutter will be installed. In order for the gutter to work properly there should be at least a 1/2 inch fall for every 10 feet.
- Install the fascia brackets with the 3/8 inch lag screws into the fascia boards at 16 inch intervals.
- Trim the gutter with the saw to the proper length of the house, and assemble the pieces of drainage gutter while on the ground.
- Attach the end caps to the drainage gutter.
- Use a small saw to cut the hole in the end of the gutter where the downspout connector will be installed.
- Place the gutter into the newly hung brackets.
- Now connect the downspout to the gutter using the downspout elbow connector.
- Seal any joints with silicone glue to prevent water leakage.
- Use a water hose to test the gutter's performance. Start at the end away from the downspout and move toward the downspout filling the gutter with water and observing the drainage flow.