Replacing your gutters is often touted as a great way to boost your home’s curb appeal, but it’s a lot more. Gutters protect your roof, house, and foundation from water damage. There comes a time when having your gutters repaired or replaced can save you a lot of money and avoid potential damage in the long run.
When the time comes, it’s important to work with a professional. At DWC Roofing, we’ve been installing new gutters throughout Central Indiana since 2007, and we’re happy to take you behind the scenes of the process!
How Your New Gutters Are Measured
Installing new gutters begins with planning out the project. We’ll send one of our experts for a free inspection of your current gutters, and go over all your options for how to move forward. If you decide to go with installing all new gutters, we’ll take some measurements before getting started:
- Measurements include not only the length of gutters needed for your home, but also the dimensions of the gutter itself (i.e. their width and depth). Most residential gutters measure about 5 inches across the top, though different options are available, depending on your home’s needs.
- We will also take detailed measurements to determine the slope of your gutters, though this may change slightly between the initial measurement and the final installation. The right slope is important to make sure water drains properly.
- Another important consideration is the location, size, and number of downspouts your home requires. The industry standard downspouts measure 2×3 inches, but sometimes 3×4 inch downspouts are used if they need to drain a large roof area.
The Gutter Installation Process
Putting new gutters on your house might seem like an easy process—and to be fair, we pretty much have it down to a science—but it’s also a little more involved than you might think. The process is a bit different depending on the type of gutters you choose, but once we have everything measured, the process of installing new gutters on your Central Indiana home looks something like this:
- Our team will work with you to choose the size and style of gutters best for your home. Gutter guards are optional (but recommended) and we also offer a wide range of color options to create a cohesive look.
- We prepare your gutters on-site to ensure all the measurements are accurate. We work with top-quality seamless aluminum gutters on most homes; these gutters are cut to size so each section is one continuous length of gutter with no seams.
- Next, we attach downspout outlets in all the necessary places. Our contractors do this job on the ground, before gutters are attached, as it’s safer.
- Time to hang the gutters! We use sturdy reinforced hangers to attach the gutters to the fascia on your home. These are meant to withstand wind and weather, as well as the weight of all the rain your gutters have to carry.
- Finally, we’ll attach each downspout to the corresponding outlet, and your gutters are ready for action! We reinforce each downspout with a bracket so it’s securely in place.
Why Professional Gutter Installation is Best
Some homeowners choose to go the DIY route for gutter installation. Only you can accurately judge your ability to tackle a project like this, but we always recommend working with a professional unless you truly have the knowledge and experience to install new gutters on your entire home.
It’s not just a matter of whether or not you can do the job right. These are some other reasons we always recommend working with a professional:
- Installing gutters yourself is dangerous. We always strongly encourage homeowners to hire professionals with the safety training and equipment to install gutters. Climbing up on a ladder to do it yourself isn’t safe, especially on multi story homes.
- DIY installation doesn’t come with a warranty. When you work with a pro, you’ll get a competitive warranty not just on materials but also on workmanship.
- Pros offer more options. We’re always dedicated to helping homeowners choose the sizes, styles, colors, and materials which best meet the needs of their home. This is a practical matter as well as an aesthetic one. You want a gutter system which looks great, but it also must be sized and pitched correctly for your roof. This kind of expert guidance is priceless.
- You’re covered in case of an accident. Your contractors will have the right insurance in the unlikely event an accident occurs while installing gutters on your property.
Contact us today to learn more about working with DWC Roofing for all your gutter repair, replacement and installation needs in Central Indiana. We’re dedicated to providing every customer with the very best quality materials, workmanship and service.
