Why DIY Gutters Are A Bad Idea

Scenario

You look up at the gutters on your home and you see that they could use some updating. You think to yourself "How hard could it be to install gutters? I think I'll try installing them myself".

Part 1

So now you decide to go down to your local gutter and downspout supplier and buy some material, tools, and a ladder. You get everything home and begin to tear off all of your old gutters and downspouts. Everything is running smoothly until you then realize that your gutters are really old and they have been fastened with every nail, screw, and caulk imaginable over the years. Now you have to go back to your local hardware store and buy that drill bit for that odd screw that has not been manufactured since the Baltimore Orioles won that World Series in 1983.

Part 2

The old gutters and downspouts are all off after a couple hours of hard work. Great Job! You now measure your home to get the dimensions of your new gutters and the drops for your downspouts. You begin making your gutters piece by piece using the material you have just recently bought. Making sure you perfectly caulk every seam to ensure there are no future leaks. You now begin installing both the gutters and downspouts.

Part 3

Job is finished! You have officially installed the gutters and downspouts on your home and everything seems to be going well. Until.... that first major rainstorm. You go outside and notice that your gutters are holding massive amounts of water, not redirecting the water down and out the downspout, and the seams are leaking like crazy! You also start questioning if maybe you should have replaced some of that rotten fascia wood that your gutter is slowly detaching from. Oops!

Besides the importance of preparing and installing gutters correctly it is even more important to always use safety precautions. Installing gutters can be very dangerous and should always be done by trained professionals.