Installing, cleaning, and repairing your home’s gutters can be done as do-it-yourself projects. You can work on your schedule and save money on these tasks if you know how to do them. But we strongly suggest hiring a gutter professional when you are in one or more of these situations.
When You Don’t Have the Proper Equipment
Effective gutter installation and maintenance require the use of proper equipment, tools, and supplies! When installing and repairing gutters, you must have the following basic items:
| Cordless drill | Hex head screws |
| Extension ladder with stabilizer Offset tin snips | Self-tapping hex head screws |
| Offset tin snips | Elbows |
| Crimper | Downspouts |
| Hex head driver | Gutter sections |
| Pop river gun | Gutter accessories: flashing, sealant, hanging strap |
And that’s just a few of the must-have tools and supplies! You shouldn’t make substitutions if you want good results either.
There are also the cleaning tools and materials to think of with DIY cleaning. While a few are common household items, such as a ladder, garden hose, and protective gloves, many more are designed specifically for the job. These include a gutter claw, gutter grabber or scooper, gutter cleaning brush, and a gutter vacuum, as well as protective accessories like gutter helmets and guards.
If you don’t have these tools now, you should ideally buy them before starting on a DIY gutter installation and maintenance. But since these items mean added expense yet will be used just a few times a year, you may want to consider hiring the pros.
When You Don’t Have the Proper Experience
The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention reports that over 310 construction workers are killed due to falls from heights, and more than 10,350 workers are seriously injured every year. Indeed, working from a height can quickly become hazardous, even fatal, particularly when you don’t have the proper safety equipment, training, and mindset!
Of course, you can watch instructional videos, read how-to books and watch the professionals do their job if you’re a DIY enthusiast. But if you’re mindful of your limb and life, you will want to hire a gutter professional to install, clean, and repair your home’s gutters. You will not only be spared of buying the safety equipment, participating in safety classes, and putting your limb and life at risk but, more importantly, you can be assured of excellent results.
Also, there are so many things that can go wrong regarding gutter-related work, from their installation and maintenance to their replacement. Examples include incorrect materials, design and style, incorrect pitch and fit, and incorrect spacing that will increase the likelihood of premature clogging, sagging, and leaking, among other issues.
If you undertake gutter-related work without the proper training and experience, you’re most likely to commit so many mistakes that your DIY project ends up as a waste of time and money. Leave the job to the professionals, and you will get what you paid for – professional results that will last for decades to come!
You will also be saving money when professionals are hired for the job from the start! You won’t have to spend money on the wrong materials and supplies, on the professional’s extra fees for correcting your sloppy job, and on injuries sustained from a DIY-related accident.
When You’re Unfamiliar with the Code Requirements
Gutters are also subject to building codes. If you’re unaware or you only have a smidgen of knowledge about them, then you have no business installing gutters! This is particularly true when you’re planning on selling your home in the future – a home inspector will check its gutters’ compliance with building codes, such as insufficient distance from the roof’s edge and other infractions.
The bottom line: Hire the professionals if you want to save money, enjoy the convenience and get excellent results from gutter-related work!
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