3 Rain Gutter Installation Guide for Homeowners

Installing rain gutters can be a daunting task, but with the right guidance, you can do it yourself and save some money.

Rain gutters are typically installed 2-4 inches below the roof's edge to ensure proper water flow. This distance allows for a smooth flow of water without overflowing.

As a homeowner, it's essential to choose the right type of gutters for your home's climate and roof material. For example, aluminum gutters are a popular choice for their durability and resistance to rust.

Gutters come in different materials, including vinyl, aluminum, and steel, each with its own pros and cons. Vinyl gutters are lightweight and easy to install, but may not be as durable as other materials.

Before installing gutters, it's essential to check the fascia for rot and make repairs if necessary. This will ensure a solid foundation for your gutters to function properly.

You should clean and unclog your gutters often, especially in the fall, to prevent leaks and damage. Clogged gutters can lead to water erosion and foundational leaks.

To do it safely, use sturdy ladders and follow the "three points of contact" rule. If you're nervous about cleaning your gutters yourself, consider hiring a professional to get the job done right.

Related reading: Can Full Gutters Cause a Roof Leak

Before you start installing gutters, check the fascia for rot and make repairs if necessary. This will ensure a solid foundation for your gutters.

Water erosion and foundational leaks are just a couple of the potential damages your home can suffer without rain gutters.

To avoid costly repairs down the line, install gutters the right way. This means following a step-by-step guide, like the one that breaks down the process into 8 manageable steps.

Installing gutters is a DIY-friendly project, but it's essential to avoid common mistakes that can compromise the integrity of your gutters and home.

Curious to learn more? Check out: Installing Drip Edge on Existing Roof with Gutters

Clean and unclog your gutters often, especially in the fall, to prevent leaks and damage to your home.

It's essential to follow best practices when using a ladder, such as only using sturdy ladders and following the "three points of contact" rule.

Clogged gutters can lead to leaks because rainwater is unable to make its way out through the downspout.

In areas with heavy leaf or twig build-up, like the Midwest, keeping an eye on your gutters in the fall is crucial.

If you're nervous about cleaning your gutters yourself, you can call in a pro to do the job safely and efficiently.

The key to choosing the right gutters is understanding the concept of sizing. This involves calculating the adjusted square footage of your roof's drainage area, taking into account the roof pitch factor and local rainfall intensity.

A house in Chicago with a 1,000 square foot roof and a 6-in-12 pitch factor would have an effective area of 1,100 square feet. Multiplying this by the local maximum rainfall intensity of 6.8 inches per hour yields an adjusted square footage of 7,480 square feet. Therefore, this roof should be equipped with 6-inch K-style gutters.

The size of your gutters will also depend on the shape of your gutters. K-style gutters can handle 5,520 square feet with a 5-inch size, while half-round gutters can handle 2,500 square feet with the same size.

Here's a comparison of different gutter sizes and their corresponding square footage capacities:

Keep in mind that these are general guidelines and the specific needs of your home may vary.

To determine the right size of gutters for your home, you need to consider the drainage area, roof pitch, and rainfall intensity. This will help you find the adjusted square footage, which is key to choosing the correct gutter size.

The chart below shows the recommended gutter size based on adjusted square footage. For K-style gutters, a 5-inch size is suitable for up to 5,520 square feet, while half-round gutters require a 5-inch size for up to 2,500 square feet.

For example, if your roof's actual drainage area is 1,000 square feet and the 6-in-12 pitch factor is 1.1, multiplying these numbers together gives you an effective area of 1,100 square feet. If the local maximum rainfall intensity is 6.8 inches per hour, the adjusted square footage would be 7,480 square feet, making a 6-inch K-style gutter the suitable choice.

In Chicago, the 5-minute rainfall intensity is actually 0.68 inches per hour, not 6.8 inches per hour. This means the effective square footage of a 1,000 square foot roof would be 748 square feet, not 7,480 square feet.

Additional reading: 6 Rain Gutter

Gutters need to be slightly sloped to ensure water flows towards the downspouts. This is called the pitch.

The pitch is typically added to each section of the gutter, not the entire length. Installers add ¼” of slope per every 10 feet.

On longer sections, the pitch may start from the center, so you'll have ½” of fall from the center extending to the ends. A 40-foot run, for example, will have 1” of fall.

The cost of rain gutters can vary, but a good starting point is to know that dark-green aluminum gutters cost around $2.75 per linear foot, materials only.

You'll also need to consider the cost of brackets and downspouts, with cast-aluminum, closed-curl brackets priced at $8 each and 4-inch-diameter corrugated aluminum downspouts at $1.75 per linear foot.

Aluminum is the most common material used for gutters, and its thickness is measured in thousands of an inch, ranging from 0.019 to 0.032 inches.

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Cost of Rain Gutters can vary depending on the type and quality of materials used. Dark-green aluminum gutters cost $2.75 per linear foot, materials only.

Cast-aluminum, closed-curl brackets cost $8 each, which can be spray-painted to match the house trim. These brackets are used to attach gutters to the fascia.

4-inch-diameter corrugated aluminum downspouts cost $1.75 per linear foot, and can be ordered in different colors to match the house trim.

Aluminum is the most common material used for gutters, and its thickness is measured in thousands of an inch.

You'll see aluminum gutters ranging from .019 to .032 inches in gauge, with a lower number indicating a thinner gutter.

The industry standard is a 0.27 gauge aluminum gutter, which is typically sufficient for mild to moderate weather conditions and rainfall.

However, if you live in an area prone to harsh weather, such as hurricanes or heavy snowfall, you might need a thicker 0.32 gauge gutter.