HOW TO INSTALL PVC GUTTERS AND DOWN PIPES
Tools required :- Extension ladder, power / battery drill, medium screwdrivers, hacksaw, chalk line, tape measure, half round file, spirit level.
Start by measuring what length of guttering and down pipe you will need for the project. List any connectors, stop ends, set angle pieces of gutter, gutter outlets, clips / brackets, usually spaced around 30″ (760mm) apart, and fixings you will need.(See post on parts for gutters and down pipes)
You will probably need to use an extension ladder to reach the appropriate work height, get someone to foot the ladder whilst you are working at height (see Safety first). At the side furthest from the drain hold a gutter clip / bracket against the fascia board in a position where, if the gutter was present it would be just below the edge of the roof tiles, mark the clip / bracket fixing holes and screw, one screw in the wood for the chalk line. Measure how far the screw is from the top or bottom of the fascia board, attach the chalk line and move to the other end of the fascia board.
A gutter needs to have a ‘fall’ to enable the water to flow down it, this ‘fall’ only needs to be around 3/16″ (5mm) over a distance of 3 ft (920mm), therefore if the gutter needs to be 16ft (4800mm) long it will need a ‘fall’ of 1″ ( 25mm). At the other end of the fascia board, hold another clip / bracket in place, but this needs to be 1″ below the first clip position, again mark the fixing holes with a pencil, now ping a line between the corresponding fixing holes (if you put the screw in the top fixing hole, hold the chalk line against the top fixing hole you have just marked out). You now have a guide line for all your gutter clips / brackets, as shown in the diagram below, ensuring the ‘fall’ will be correct without any high spots that may cause water to pool in the gutter.
Fit the gutter in place, which normally just ‘clips in’, with the appropriate stop ends, connectors and gutter outlet for the down pipe, cutting it to length with a hacksaw and removing any burrs with a half round file. You can double check the ‘fall’ with your spirit level.
The down pipe will probably require a couple of offset bends fitting just below the gutter outlet so the pipe can be fixed against the wall, again as with the gutter this can be cut easily with a hacksaw and deburred with a half round file. Starting from the highest point on the down pipe the clips should be fixed to the wall using rawlplugs and screws, 1 1/2″ x 8s screws should be sufficient to hold the clips and pipe in place securely and space these around 4 to 5 ft (1200 to 1500mm) apart. Use your spirit level to ensure the down pipe is straight.
The bottom of the down pipe may need one or two offset bends fitting to reach over the drain. If the down pipe does not push fit together, you may need to a use pvc adhesive designed specifically for joining lengths of the pipe together, make sure your pipe is cut to the correct length before applying any of the adhesive as it bonds joints very quickly.
DIY stores sell special paint for gutters and down pipes if the manufacturers PVC colour is not suitable.