What to Expect During Your Gutter Installation

Gutters often go unnoticed until they stop working, but they play a vital role in protecting your home. They keep rainwater off the landscaping you’ve worked so hard on, shield your siding from discoloration, and direct water and snow away to prevent foundation damage.

With durable materials, gutters can last for decades. Minor damage in one or two spots doesn’t always require a full replacement; you can repair these sections individually.

However, if you notice rust, broken joints, sagging, or stains on your home’s exterior, it may be time for a gutter replacement.

Types of Gutters

Gutters are typically made of one of five different materials: aluminum, vinyl, zinc, steel, and copper. The design will be influenced by your aesthetic preferences and function, especially considering the amount of rainfall your area receives. In fact, some homeowners who live in arid climates with little to no rain may even opt not to bother with gutters. But for everyone else, here are the three most common gutter styles:

1. K-style: These have been popular choices for homeowners in the last few decades as they feature a decorative front. They can be nailed directly into the fascia board (more on that later).
2. Half-round gutters: Rounded pipes with the top half cut off. This style is found in older homes and, because of the curves, requires brackets to hold them in place.
3. Custom built: One long stretch of aluminum is used to create these gutters, which are made custom to each individual home and project. Because they are made from scratch, they are the most expensive.

Before the Installation

Luckily, gutter installation or replacement is considered regular home maintenance, so you won’t need to get a permit for it. However, you may want to look into if your local ordinance requires a certain type of gutter. Your contractor will be able to help you find out. 

After comparing gutter quotes thoroughly and hiring a contractor that you have vetted and trust, they will come out to inspect the home to make sure they have the right materials and amount of gutters to install. They will be looking at:

• Shape of your home: Is your home a simple rectangle, or does it have a lot of odd bends and corners? This will impact the materials used and how much of it.
• Access: Depending on the layout of your home and landscaping, the contractor will have to determine the best way to access the gutters.
• Materials: The material and type of gutters that will be installed will depend on a number of factors, such as how much rainfall your area gets, how close you are to the ocean, and more. You can also let your contractor if you have a preference for color to match the scheme of your home.
• Soffits: The part where the roof meets the siding. This allows rain and snow to run away from your home, protecting the siding. It also helps regulate the temperature in your home.
• Fascia: This is the board that runs along the underside of the eaves; the gutters sit on top of this decorative piece of wood. Fascia brackets will be installed to help hold up the gutters. 

If you have any paint chipping due to faulty or aging gutters, repaint them before the new installation rather than after. This will also help protect the side of the home from further damage.

During the Installation

In the case of an emergency, you may not have much choice in when to have them replaced or installed, but the summer is recommended as your region prepares for the fall and winter. For more tropical climates, choose a time when it’s drier to prepare for the wet season.

As your contractor is replacing or installing the gutters, they will be looking at the slope of the roof. This will determine the placement and slant of the gutters to the downspout. If it’s not done correctly, water can pool — not the purpose of gutters!

When using an experienced contractor, the job can be done in just a day, depending on the size of the project and its complexity. However, as we mentioned before, a home with a lot of angles and more complex shapes makes the project more difficult and can make the project go longer. Regardless, gutter installation and replacement is a relatively quick process compared to a lot of other home improvement projects.

Ready to begin your gutter installation or replacement? We can help. Find local, reliable gutter contractors near you.