Select the right type of gutters for your house

1. End cap: Piece of formed metal or PVC placed on the end of a section of gutter to close off the channel.
2. Slip joint: Small part used for joining two sections of a gutter.
3. Corner: A piece of gutter installed at a 90 degree angle on the edge of a roof, in the corners.
4. Outside hook or mounting bracket: Long bracket screwed under the gutter to fasten it to the edge of the roof.
5. Centre drop outlet: Piece of gutter that provides the hole through which water travels into the downspout. Placed at the centre of the gutter channel.
6. End drop outlet: Placed at the end of the gutter, this piece provides the hole through which water travels into the downspout.

1. Downspout: A drainpipe, sold in 10' sections, installed vertically on the wall, which carries rainwater from the roof gutter to the ground. One downspout is required for every 40' of gutter channel.

2. Elbow: Angled part of downspout beneath the gutter, with a 45-degree bend. For a regular downspout, three elbows are required:

• the 1^st under the drop outlet
• the 2^nd against the wall of the house
• the 3rd connected to the bottom end of the downspout.
  An extension can be added to divert water away from the foundation.

3. Connector: Piece used to join two sections of downspout. A connector is needed for downspouts over 10' long.

4. Downspout clip: Fastener with two holes on each side used to attach the downspout to the wall of the house. A clip should be attached every 3' along the downspout.

5. Diverter: Block of stone or concrete placed under the end of the downspout which diverts water away from the foundation and prevents soil erosion. Install one for each downspout.

First draw a plan of your house, including an overhead view.

• Consider the pitch of your roof in order to decide where to place the gutter and in which direction it should slope.
• Decide where to locate downspouts for rainwater drainage. Remember that water will quickly accumulate after heavy rain and this water must be directed away from your home's foundation so that it does not leak into the basement.
• Once you have decided on all the locations, calculate the length of guttering and number of downspouts required, as well as all the necessary attachments and installation accessories.

Certain safety precautions must be taken before undertaking any job that requires working at height.

• First check that your ladder or stepladder is solid and stable.
• If the edge of the roof is particularly high off the ground, use scaffolding, which provides even greater stability and safety.
• Be extremely careful of any electrical installations or wiring when moving the ladder or scaffolding around the house.
• At least two people are needed to install a gutter, because you will be handling sections of pipe that are 10' long while up a ladder or high up on scaffolding.
• Wear work gloves and safety glasses.

A few installation tips for each model

Here are a few precautions to take according to the type of gutter material you are working with.

PVC gutters:

• Assembled by clipping together or by bonding parts with PVC cement.
• Easy to cut with a hacksaw.
• Gutters and downspouts available in 10' sections.

Aluminium gutters:

• The sections fit into one another and are then joined with sealant.
• Cut with a metal saw and tin snips.
• Gutters and downspouts available in 10’ sections

Galvanized steel gutters:

• Professional installation required.
• The sections fit into one another (male-female). The joints should be fitted with a watertight seal.

Copper gutters:

• Professional installation required.
• Two types of assembly, either by tin/lead soldering or by simply fitting the male and female pieces together.