7 Common Gutter Installation Errors to Avoid for Homeowners

Are your home’s gutters more than 20 years old at this point? If they are, it might be time for you to consider replacing them.

Although some gutter systems might last longer than this, the average system is only going to stick around for about two decades before needing to be replaced. And if you don’t go through the process of replacing old gutters, it could come back to bite you sooner or later.

It’ll be important for you to avoid making any gutter installation errors while going through the gutter installation process. These errors could ruin your experience while installing new gutters.

Here are seven common gutter installation errors that you should steer clear of at all costs.

1. Waiting Too Long to Install New Gutters

If you suspect that your home might need new gutters, you shouldn’t wait too long to install them. This is one of the worst gutter installation errors that you can make.

If you have gutters that have overstayed their welcome, they can take a toll on everything from your home’s roof to its foundation. It’s why you should make it a point to remove old gutters and put new ones in their place ASAP.

2. Choosing the Wrong Kind of New Gutters

There are lots of different types of gutters that you can install on your home. It’s going to be imperative that you choose the right kind of gutters based on the design of your house.

The three main types of gutters are:

You can also select gutters made out of many types of materials. From aluminum to copper to vinyl, it’s going to be your job to find the gutter materials that will work best for your home.

3. Picking New Gutters That Are the Wrong Size

Selecting a gutter size that is going to work well for your home will be another important aspect of picking them out. If you don’t select the right size, your home’s gutter system might not be able to keep up with the rainfall that your area gets.

The standard gutter size is 5 inches. But you might need to invest in gutters that are 6 inches if you live in an area that gets its fair share of rain. Gutters like this will be able to handle almost anything that Mother Nature throws at them.

4. Failing to Pitch New Gutters Properly

At first glance, it might appear as though the gutters that hang on your home are perfectly level. But in reality, gutters are always pitched every so slightly to encourage rain to flow in a certain direction.

If you make the mistake of not pitching new gutters properly, it might lead to rain sitting in these gutters and not going anywhere at all. Before you know it, rain will be spilling over the top of your gutters and pooling around the outside of your home.

5. Putting Downspouts for New Gutters in the Wrong Places

The downspouts that you install as part of your gutter system will be every bit as important as the gutters themselves. If you don’t have downspouts put into the right places, it’s going to make it difficult for your gutter system to move rainwater away from your home.

You’ll need to come up with a foolproof plan for where you’re going to put the downspouts for your gutter system ahead of time. You should place them in spots where they’re going to be able to usher rainwater away from your home quickly and divert it to places where it won’t do any damage to your home.

6. Neglecting to Put Gutter Guards Over New Gutters

As you can probably imagine, more than just rainwater is going to try to make its way into your new gutters. Leaves, sticks, and other debris will also end up in your gutters if you’re not careful.

It’s going to be almost impossible to keep everything out of your home’s gutters. But you should be able to keep most debris out of them by sticking a set of gutter guards over them.

Gutter guards are designed to stop debris from being able to work its way into gutters. If you’re going to go through the trouble of installing new gutters, you should also get some gutter guards to go along with them.

7. Hiring the Wrong Company to Provide New Gutters

Installing new gutters isn’t a task that you should attempt to tackle yourself. If you take the DIY approach to the gutter installation process, it could result in you making crucial gutter installation errors.

At the same time, you also should be careful about which gutter installation company that you hire to help you. Hiring the wrong one could be an even bigger mistake than trying to install gutters on your own.

You’ll want to work closely with a company that has plenty of experience within the industry. You’ll also want to work with one that installs high-quality gutter systems like the K-Guard Gutter System.

Why K-Guard? Well, go read all about this type of gutter system to see why it would be a terrific option for you.

Don’t Make Any of These Common Gutter Installation Errors

Because most gutter systems last for so long, the average homeowner will only need to install new gutters once or maybe twice throughout the course of their life. It’s why so many people make gutter installation errors.

You should avoid making any of the gutter installation errors listed here as best you can. You’ll be able to get your hands on a great set of gutters by not making any of these mistakes at any point.

Browse through our other blog articles to get more home improvement tips and tricks.

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