Most of us live in regions where it rains – some of us in regions where it seems never to stop!  Downspouts Rain gutters form an integral part of our homes and are necessary to drain the rainwater properly away from our roofs.  Without rain gutters, rain water would eat away at the soil around the foundations of our homes and even might seep into the basement, threatening a home’s structure.

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Guttering is usually installed by professional tradesmen, but you can save money by replacing or installing your guttering yourself.  All the necessary materials are readily available at home centers or can be supplied via roofing supply firms.  If your guttering and downspouts are looking a little jaded it may be worth replacing the whole system and upgrading its performance.  This may sound a little drastic, but ancient, battered, leaky gutters are an eyesore and the reward of new guttering outweighs the effort needed to replace it.  If you don’t fancy tackling it yourself, there are plenty of firms who will be willing, at a price, to do the job for you.

When it comes to ensuring proper drainage, you must make sure your gutters slope towards the downspout.  The downspout is the long pipe that collects the rain water and sends it into the drain.  For every ten feet, your gutters should slope by half an inch.  If your gutters do not slope efficiently, rain water will simply collect and eventually your gutters will overflow.

The highest point of your guttering will naturally be the point furthest away from the downspout.  Check the roof fascia for decay then mark where your first bracket will sit.  Then mark the lowest point of your guttering and calculate how much lower this must sit, using the half-inch slope for every ten feet rule.  Draw a line between the 2 points.  You will need to attach one bracket per roof rafter – typically a distance of 16 inches.  Attach your brackets along the fascia using two-inch steel lag screws.

Once you have prepared your guttering attach it to each bracket using a one inch stainless steel screw and flanged nut.  Make sure the ends of your gutter are butted and cut a four-inch diameter hole in the gutter above the position of the downspout.

House rain gutters are important in maintaining your home.  Making sure of their condition is important and will save you money on potentially expensive home repairs.