When you purchase a mobile home, you will see that they are created as a unit inside a factory where all the building processes take place.
Due to this, there is a potential for water and other debris to build upon the roof of the mobile home and along the sides of it.
One way to take care of this is by installing gutters on the roof of your mobile roof. When installed, the gutters make it easier to move the water and the debris away from the mobile home’s roof and reduce the damage that the water could have caused.
To allow it to work at its best, the gutter should be hung at an angle that will ensure that the water from it will flow down to the ground.
So if you have seen that your mobile home needs gutters and you do not know how to get them installed, this article will help you get that done.
Below are the steps through which you can install the gutters on your mobile home easily without much stress. Let us take a look at them after we have looked at the kind of tools that you will need for the job. These are the tools that will help you get the job done easily.
Benefits Of Gutters On A Mobile Home
Installing gutters on your mobile is very important for the following reasons.
- Preventing flooding in the basement of your mobile home
- Preventing potential problems with your foundation
- Prevention of soil erosion around the mobile home
- Prevention of damage to the exterior siding of the home
- Prevention of water colorization on the walkways of the mobile home
- Prevention of excessive moisture and stagnant water
Materials Used For Making Mobile Home Gutters
Mobile home gutters can be purchased in different materials. Below are some of the materials used in making mobile home gutters.
- Aluminum
- Vinyl
- Stainless steel
- Copper and steel
- Zinc
Tools Needed for The Job
So when it comes to installing gutters on the roof of your mobile home, there are some tools that you will need to get the job done. you should also keep in mind that the size of your mobile home will determine the tools that will be used for the installation of the gutters. Here are the tools you will need below.
- Measuring tape
- Joints
- Downspout
- Nails and screws
- Hammer
- Drill driver
- Ladder
- Gutters
- Saw
- Ladder
- Tin snips
- Epoxy
So these are the main tools that you will need when you are installing the gutters on your mobile home.
I am sure that you would be able to get all of these at the local hardware shops in your area at fair prices.
Installing the gutters on the roof of the mobile home is meant to help prevent the rain that runs off the roof from the side of the mobile home.
This is very important if you want to maintain the integrity of your mobile home over the long term.
This can also be a major lifesaver when it comes to keeping the appearance of the mobile home.
When it comes to the installation of gutters on a mobile home, it is very similar to the way you would do it on a regular home.
However, what you will need to make sure of is that the gutters that you choose have been designed for the mobile home and not for a regular traditional home.
The gutters you choose should have been designed to specifically fit your mobile home.
Steps To Install Gutters On Your Mobile Home
The installation of the gutters on your mobile home is a job that can take all the afternoon on a Saturday or Sunday or even several days.
This will probably depend on whether you are working at it alone or you have some people helping you with it.
The best thing to do will be to allow a weekend for this so that you will be able to get the job done comfortably. So here are the steps for installing the gutters on your mobile home.
Get the Slope Of The Eaves Calculated
You first get the slope of the eaves calculated by tying a string to the level. Get a chalk and use it to mark the level lines every 10 feet.
Each successive mark should be a ¼ inch lower on the slope gauge than the earlier mark. This will ensure that the gutters will have a downward slope to drain the water away from the mobile home.
Measuring And Cutting The Gutter
Now, the next thing to do will be to measure and cut the gutters into sections. Each piece of the gutter should be marked to meet the 10- feet mark.
You then deduct ¼ inch seam allowance on each end of the pieces. Now, you will also have to measure the length of the entire mobile home so that you will be able to know the total length of the gutters that will be assembled.
Now, mark and measure the length of the gutters and then make the marking around the whole piece with the combination square and marker. The pieces should be cut with tin snips along with the markings.
Attaching The Gutters
Now, you can start attaching the gutters. Each piece should be connected with the hanging brackets.
They will snap into place just like puzzle pieces. Now set the hanging bracket 6 inches away from the ends of the gutter assembly that has been completed.
Successive brackets should be set apart at 24 inches along with the entire assembly.
Setting The Gutters Upside Down
You will have to set a gutter sleeve where you will want the downspout to attach to the base of the gutter.
An outline of the sleeve on the gutter will have to be drawn. Now, remove the sleeve and then use the hole punch to make four corners around the outline.
Now, the outline should be cut with a jigsaw and the cutout should be thrown away. The edges should then be cut down.
Applying Sealant
You will now have to apply a sealant to the underside of the sleeve lip. You then turn the gutter upright and insert the sleeve into the hole.
Attaching An End Cap
Now, the next thing to do will be to attach an end cap to the edge of the gutter. You can use pliers to crimp the edges of the cap to the gutter properly.
Now, You Should Get Someone To Help You With This Part
You will take one end of the gutters while the helper will also take the other end of the gutters.
Now, both of you will move up the ladder together till you reach the eaves. Once you are there, you will use the screw to attach the hanging brackets to the roof of the mobile home. This will get the gutters held in place on the roof.
Measuring The Desired Length
Now, the next thing to do will be to measure and mark out the desired length of the downspout.
You will then have to cut the downspout to size. Make sure to avoid cutting the tapered end.
Attaching The Downspout To The Gutter
Now, you will have to attach the downspout to the gutter and ensure that it will fit. If it does not fit, you will have to make some adjustments as needed.
After the adjustments are done and the downspout now fits, you will set the gutter assembly down over the connectors and then screw the downspout to the gutters.
Wrapping Bands Around The Downspouts
You will wrap bands around the downspout at various locations where they connect to the wall of your mobile home.
You will then use a #10 screw in attaching the bands to the walls of the mobile home. This will ensure that the downspout is held in place and does not fall off.
Sealing The Seams And End Caps
After this, you will have to seal the seams and the end caps with a water sealant. After applying the water sealant to the seams and the end cap, your work is now complete.
One thing you have to keep in mind is that the downspout should not be glued in since you may need to take it off at some time for cleaning purposes.
Conclusion
Getting rain gutters for your mobile home can be seen as a great investment and not just for the protection of your mobile home.
Apart from increasing the value of the mobile home, they also protect the home from the damage caused by rainwater.
So if you own a mobile home, you are now aware that installing gutters on the mobile home is something that should be done for the protection of the home as well as to increase its value.
Some mobile homes come with the gutters already installed and you would not have to go through the lengthy process of installing them.
You can talk with the company that is building your mobile home to see if they have gutters installed for you.
