One of the best DIY home improvement projects is installing Gutter Guard installation. Sound gutter guard systems have many benefits, from preventing blockages in your gutters and downpipes, bird, vermin, and pest-proofing decreased property maintenance and many more. However, correct installation is essential to ensure its effectiveness and efficiency. You will be able to achieve professional gutter protection as if installed by professional gutter guard installers.
Gutter guards’ significant advantage is their DIY-friendliness, but following gutter guard installation instructions is imperative. Notably, there are different gutter guard instructions for various roof types; such as corrugated metal roof, or tile roof, and more. Ensure you have the correct gutter guard instructions for your right roof types, as the installation process is vastly different for tiled roofs.
So if you are looking to DIY install new mesh guards, or replace existing worn gutter guards on a corrugated metal roof, here are the critical steps for installation.
Quick Instructions:
Install Gutter Guard to Metal Corrugated Roof
- Clean out your entire guttering system
- Measure the mesh to the section of the house
- Cut the mesh from the remaining roll
- Fix gutter guard to the far gutter’s edge with your trim
- Make 2 x 40mm cuts on either side of every second corrugation
- Secure mesh to roof via saddle and screws
- Repeat on all sections of your property
Optional steps:
- If required, affix mesh to the ridge caps of your property
- If required, install the mesh to the roof valleys
Below, we detail each step of the instructions, including pre-installation, Ridge Caps affixation, and metal corrugated roof valley installation.
Pre-Installation
Metal Corrugated Roof Gutter Guard
Corrugated Roof Safety Considerations
As you will be working at heights and on ladders, safety is your first and most crucial pre-step to installing a gutter guard. It is essential to understand how to assess your property for potential risks and understand how to work safely at heights.
Assess Surroundings
Like any DIY project, you must assess your property and eliminate any potential risks or hazards. We recommend to:
- Avoid working in wet weather
- Make a note of any wires or power lines
- Make sure there is no heavy machinery or protruding objects underneath your working areas
- Cutaway any overhanging or low-bearing trees from the workspace
- Keep children and pets away from your working area
DIY projects at heights Recommendations
- Wear non-slip shoes and suitable outdoor protective clothing
- Wear gloves to protect your hands and enhance your grip
- Ensure all ladders are resting on even and flat ground
- Use a safety bracket to secure the ladder to your property – prevents the ladder from slipping or damaging your property
- Use a safety harness for DIY projects at significant heights. Full protection equipment is required for heights of 2 metres or above
- Keep all materials and tools tidy – prevents slips and trips
Gutter Guard Installation Kit Materials
Before starting the project, take out all your materials and ensure you have enough for the whole project and the correct roof colour. The correct materials are:
- Mesh (matched to your roof colour)
- Trims (matched to the gutter and fascia colour)
- Saddles
- Self-Drilling Screws
Gutter Guard Installation Tools
Get your tools out ready in preparation for the installation. The tools include:
- Electric Drill/Screw Gun With The Correct Bits,
- Small brush for cleaning
- Hose
- Sheers Or Tin Snips
- Protective work gloves
- Relevant Safety Equipment.
Metal Roof Gutter Guard Installation Instructions
Once you complete the pre-installation safety and equipment checks, you can begin installing the gutter guard on your corrugated metal roof.
Follow the steps bellow:
1. Clean Out Your Entire Guttering System
It is important to thoroughly clean your entire gutter system before attaching any gutter guard to your metal roof. Failure to do so may result in clogging and obstructions forming under the gutter guard; blockages after installation are more challenging to remove once installed.
There are two ways to ensure you have thoroughly cleaned out your guttering system. Use them both for in-depth cleaning.
- First, remove any large debris in the gutters, including sticks. Using a small brush, sweep any medium-sized debris, such as gum leaves or small twigs, out of the gutter.
- Using a hose, wash out the whole system.
Be aware that washing-out your guttering system will make the roof very slippery. To decrease the risk of accidents, do not get on the roof when it is soaking wet, allow to dry.
If you have Roof Valleys, clean them out at the same time. This will also ensure that they have time to dry out before installing.
2. Measure the mesh to the house section
Once the gutters are clean, measure out the right amount of mesh for the section of the house you are currently working. Work one area at a time.
Slowly, roll your mesh out, starting at one end with a 20-30cm hanging. Then, finish at the other end with another 20-30 cm extra mesh.
While measuring the length, making sure you have enough depth to cover your gutter from the roof to the gutter pipes far edge. The incorrect depth will not affix to the roof correctly, rendering the gutter guard ineffective.
3. Cut the mesh from the remaining roll
Next, cut off the remaining roll; don’t forget to leave a 20-30cm overlap at each end.
Ensure that you are wearing gloves when cutting, as the edge of the material is sharp and can cut you.
4. Fix gutter guard to the far gutter's edge with trim
At one end, place the trim along the outer gutter’s edge, ensuring that the mesh covers the gutter and is entirely underneath the trim.
Ensure the mesh is laid flat, and then, screw the trims into position roughly every 2500mm using self-drilling screws—Screw-in one trim at a time. Continue the process along the entire section.
For gutter corner sections, cut through the trim at an angle to create a clean corner edge.
5. Make 2 x 40mm cuts on either side of every second corrugation
To the mesh closer to the roof, make two 40mm cuts either side of every second corrugation. The cuts ensure that the mesh is secured seamlessly to your roof and prevents crevasses for debris to enter
Next, Place the saddle over the corrugations where you made the cuts. The saddle should sit above the mesh covering the corrugations.
6. Secure mesh to roof via saddle & screws
Screw the saddle onto the roof using screws. It is best to apply firm pressure while screwing the saddle to prevent it from moving off the corrugation.
Fixing guard to ridge caps
If your roof has ridge caps, the ridge capping process is easy.
- Start on one side.
- Make sure the last corrugation before the ridge cap is secured with a saddle.
- Cut the mesh to the angle of the ridge cap.
- Screw the mesh into the edge of the ridge cap for seamless-look.
- Repeat on the ridge caps other side.
Metal Valley Gutter Guard Installations Instructions
We recommend installing a gutter guard to your valleys for a complete solution to blockages and debris build-up. Roof Valleys are the most common places for debris accumulation and the hardest to maintain and clean. Installing a gutter guard to your corrugated roof valley is the last step for comprehensive protection.
Tools
- Drill
- Safety tools, such as a harness.
Materials
- Mesh
- Saddles
- Roof screws
Safety consideration for metal roofing
The valley is a problematic area of the roof to fit as its angles can make it hard to grip. Ensure you have correct footwear – non-slip shoes – and do not attempt to install if the roof is wet.
Pre-installation
Measure the width of the valley. 330mm is the standard width for a mesh gutter guard and will fit most valleys, but ensuring the mesh will cover the full valley prevents mistakes.
Metal Roof Valley Instructions
- If needed, measure the valley’s length and cut the mesh size to a suitable size.
- Lay the mesh out from the valley’s top to the bottom, tacking it into position as needed.
- Begin at the valley’s top, choose a side, and place a saddle on the roof’s first corrugation.
- Screw the saddle in place.
- Slowly, work downwards to fix the saddles to each roof corrugation with the screw.
- Repeat the process on the other side of the Roof Valley.
DIY TIPS – The fixation of the saddles to the roof may be more challenging than the gutter installation. Corrugated Roof Valleys may have different lines, so you may need to reverse some or all of the saddles to better affix to the roof.
Other Installation Tips Metal Roof Gutter Guard
Here are some other handy tips for installing DIY gutter guard:
- Take your time at each step. You want to work efficiently and accurately.
- The saddles will take the longest and is probably the most crucial step to ensure complete efficiency. Ensure you have secured them correctly, and they do not move or have any gaps.
- Do not over-tighten your screws along with the trims or at the saddles. You want to avoid stripping the thread and maintain the gutter guard system more challenging in the future.
- Work on one-metre sections at a time.
- Ensure you have secured each part before moving on.
- Having a second person is best for safety and decreasing the work time
- Working around ridge caps, make sure the saddle closest to the ridge cap is secured.
Gutter Guard System Benefits
After the installation, your gutter guard will provide your property with complete protection. The system will improve its efficiency and increase the gutter system’s lifespan. It is one of the easiest ways to prevent most organic debris from entering the system. It is essential to understand that no gutter guard offers 100% protection from all debris. While maintenance will undoubtedly decrease, occasionally, you will use a hose to flush the system will also prolong its effectiveness.
Gutter Guards are designed to prevent leaves and other organic debris from clogging and obstructing your gutters, maintaining good water flow. However, many people find further advantages of gutter guard, beyond its intended need, after its installation.
Gutter Guards’ added benefits is a decrease in annual maintenance and, therefore, decrease risks associated with the upkeep, bird proofing and pest prevention of gutters and roof spaces, improved rainwater-harvest quality, and protection from ember attack in a bushfire.
Whatever the reason you need a DIY gutter guard, you can be sure that installing a gutter guard to your corrugated metal roof, is a wise investment in your property.
Choosing the best gutter guard for your metal roof
A vast range of DIY gutter guard solutions on the market are suitable for DIY metal roof installations. These gutter guards’ suitability also depends on your gutter guard needs, property requirements, and budget.
At Aussie DIY Solutions, we recommend our Corrugated Roof Gutter Guard kit as the best quality Gutter Guard for installation on metal roofs. Kits are available in 21 colours that can be colour-matched to your gutter and roof. You can purchase by the metre or buy a custom order on some products. The Corrugated Roof Gutter Guard kit includes all materials and easy to follow instructions for the installation, saving you time and hassle.
Aussie DIY Solutions has a range of mesh materials in the Corrugated Roof Gutter Guard kit, including Aluminium mesh and Ember Guard in specific meterage measurements. At Aussie DIY Solutions, we want you to be able to protect your entire home, so we offer a range of roof fixing including roof-to-gutter, valleys kits and roof-to-box gutter installations.
Installing gutter guard to a metal roof is easy, for further information on installation instructions, products and reviews visit our website or get in touch with us.
