When heavy rain comes pouring down over your home, thousands of gallons of water will channel through your rain gutters and downspouts, away from your home’s walls and foundation. When there’s a problem with this deceptively simply setup, devastating water damage can occur— in just one storm, or over time, rainfall by rainfall.

Think of gutter maintenance like an oil change for a vehicle’s engine. As long as it’s done regularly, you prevent water damage to your home at a relatively low cost. But, if maintenance is not kept up on a regular basis, preventable water damage can be extremely costly compared to the relatively low cost of proper installation and upkeep.

Let’s look at the Top 3 most common DIY mistakes related to the DIY installation of rain gutters and downspouts:

1. Sectional Gutters = Leaks and Clogs. While more costly to install, seamless gutters are believed to be best because they are not as prone to leaks and clogs at seams as sectional gutters installed piece-by-piece. When installing sectional gutters, care must be taken to ensure where pieces overlap with water flow, not against it, to avoid collecting debris or promoting leakage. Caulking is also helpful to seal crucial joints. Sometimes homeowners discover the cost of water damage from a DIY install is far greater than paying for a pro seamless installation.

2. Under-sized Rain Gutters for the Size and Pitch of the Roof. The steeper the roof, the bigger the rain gutter required. Because rain gutters come in multiple dimensions, it’s important to choose the right gutter size for your roof so water doesn’t overflow.

3. Incorrect Spacing of Rain Gutter Hangers. In cold climates, heavy accumulations of ice and snow can build up a great deal of weight hanging on rain gutters. In such areas, rain gutter hangers should be spaced no more than 2 feet apart. In warmer climates, hangers should be spaced no more than 3 feet apart. Calculating the right rain gutter hanger spacing is important to avoid sagging and water damage.

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