Changing the guttering can be a pretty laborious job. It isn’t, however, completely out of the skill range of a keen DIY enthusiast, providing that they are prepared to put in a considerable amount of preparation as well as time and effort. So, what exactly might changing the guttering involve?
First of all, you’ll need to remove the old gutters. The great thing about plastic guttering is that it’s fairly simple to remove, provided that the nails haven’t rusted into place (even if they have these can still be removed with a padsaw). If you have cast iron guttering, however, this could potentially be a safety hazard, as cast iron has a considerable weight behind it. Should your gutters be cast iron, you should definitely have a few people helping you to remove it.
Actually, installing the new gutters and downpipe is the tricky part, and you’ll have to make all of the necessary measurements prior to installation. For example, in order to work out were the downpipe should be installed you could always simply count the number of “brick courses” from the ground to the eaves and then divide by 13, to get the length of required downpipe.
When you’re actually installing your brand new guttering, you need to ensure that you have all of the relevant materials, such as union clips. As well as all the appropriate tools, you should then install fascias brackets no greater than 1m apart ensuring that any stopends or running outlets are within 150mm of the fitting.
