How To Change Gutter On A Slate Roof? | All About Gutters Inc Tips

Although sometimes it is necessary to do constant gutter repairs and maintenance of our home, since the passage of the years affects the different aspects of the construction and the elements that face the outside, such as the facades and roofs, are the most punished.

After some time, you will probably have to change some of the ducts in the roof, even if it is a specific point and a minimum effort, but you will have to get down to work. The best thing to do at this point is to hire All About Gutters Inc, an expert gutter installation company.

The problems that can appear on slate roofs require a quick and effective solution. If they are kept in poor condition, all you achieve is to accelerate the rate at which the system deteriorates, the repair required to restore it to good condition is becoming more and more expensive.

Therefore, below we explain step by step how to change a gutter on a slate roof.

Step By Step Of How To Change Gutters On A Slate Roof

Measure The Gutters

First, it is necessary to measure the length of the roof of this type of material in which you want to change the duct to calculate how many meters you should buy. You have the option of buying several pieces of one meter long according to your needs and in different colors or order a continuous gutter, manufactured on site, from a specialist company. If you are going to overlap the pieces because the distance is greater, you must also seal them and add overlap in your calculations.

Prepare The Workplace

The hooks and caps give the gutter stability and help prevent deformation of the gutter parts. For this, you can place the hooks before making the change and raise the new one to the slate roof with some rivets. The caps are simple to assemble by applying a little pressure to the sides.

Fastening The Gutters

There are different ways to fix the ducts on a slate roof. On a roof, you must disassemble the first rows of slates. To anchor you must use the long hook or snow hook, which is fixed on the wooden batten or on the board directly. This is normally done on roofs that are kept in very good condition.

In addition, you can use the tailless hook or front hook. You must place a hook every 50 cm to ensure the stability of the system. If you have an eaves that fly, so that you cannot fix the channel on the wall, or do not want to disassemble rows of the roof, to place a long hook on the floorboard, you can use a gutter spacer. The separator is fixed directly on the facade.

Insert The Ducts Into The Downspouts

You have to make a hole in the new conduit. If you have, a drill to make cuts you can use the tool, if you don't have a drill you can make the hole with sheet metal scissors. You also have the option of joining the two gutter pieces right at one outlet, so you don't have to make any hole in the gutter. Open the downspout a little and join the birth with the tube. Then you fix it with a small screw. This option is very economical.

Divert The Pipe From The Downspouts

To deflect the downpipe or change direction, you can use elbows and deflectors. The elbows also work at the end of the downspout, in order to direct the water to the side or forward and away from the facade. For larger deviations, you can combine pieces of the downspout or elbows.

The elbows and offsets feature a serrated aluminum seam. For aesthetics, this seam should face the roof, so there are different designs if it is on the front or the side of the house. To cut the pieces you need there is a sheet metal scissors, although you can use a radial saw. It is highly recommended to make the cuts directly at the installation site.

For The Corners

If you have a corner, you will need a square to join the ducts of the storm drain system. To use this piece you need to cut the end with a sheet metal scissors so that it fits in the square, then you fix the channel in the square with a small screw and seal well inside with a polyurethane putty.

To Join Several Downspout Pipes

If you want to join several downpipes into just one, you have to use a collector. This is responsible for collecting different channels and unites them in a drain with a single outlet. They can be in aluminum, with different finishes.

For Spout Mounts

Duckbill brackets are pieces that allow you to attach the new gutter directly to the slate tile. The bracket is fixed on the cover with its tapping screw. Once the ducks are in place, you can fix the channel with its front hooks in the duckbill support of the cover.

Place Protections

To finish, you have the option of protecting the downspout pipes with a protector, especially if you have chosen aluminum gutters. This prevents cars, bicycles or passers from hitting the downhill and deforming it. Since dented downspouts get clogged very quickly, it is advisable to protect them from the ground. They last a long time and can be painted in the color of the roof. You can also use aluminum or stainless steel protectors.

If after following these steps in detail you have any questions, do not hesitate to contact an expert in the installation of rain gutter systems, they will be ready to help you without any problem.