The improvement of your mobile home is a constant, ongoing project.
Among the areas that should be given attention, water gutters are a priority.
They keep your mobile home protected and water-free.
To protect the foundations, windows, doors, and sidings from water damage, you need to obtain the tap water and direct it to an appropriate drainage site.
So, Can You Put Gutters On A Mobile Home?
It is important to install water gutters in your home as a huge step in improving its conditions and protecting it from possible water damage. In this article, we help you to understand what you need for the job and how to install water gutters for your mobile home among other important tips and ideas.
See Also: Is It Better To Buy A New Mobile Home Or Remodel An Old One?
Why Do You Need Gutters On Your Mobile Home?
Rain gutters are a must for mobile homes.
Just because they do not have basements, it does not mean that mobile homes should not have water gutters.
On the contrary, they should have gutters like other manufactured homes.
Water can be a destructive hazard to the home structure.
They can sip into the very foundations of your mobile home and other parts and compromise with them.
In worst scenarios, some buildings have even been brought down by the water that sips through the structures with time.
Water gutters are therefore a necessity for mobile homes.
They help to tap water from the roofs and direct them to the downspouts and final drainage pipes and sites.
See Also: How Much Does A New Roof Cost?
What Are The Best Mobile Home Gutter Materials?
When it comes to building, the type of material used is important.
Durability is not the only concern here.
Design, cost, and nature of material are also key factors to look into when choosing the type of material to use for your gutter system.
Here are five best mobile gutter materials for mobile homes.
1. Aluminum
Aluminum is the most formidable and easily accessible material for home gutters.
Aside from being cost-efficient, they are also:
- Light
- Rustproof
- Weather-resistant
- Readily available in a wide array of models
- Easy to maintain
- Resistant to harsh climate
One of the main reasons why aluminum is the best pick is because of its incredible ability to retain most paints for a long.
Most materials cannot retain paint.
Paint is one of the things you do not want to lose in your home.
With it, goes the outside impression.
You have to instruct your contractors to select aluminum during this crucial installation in your home.
2. Vinyl
Vinyl gutters are also great materials for gutter installation on mobile homes.
Besides their easy installation, they are also cost-efficient and can readily be obtained.
Additionally, the fact that they do not rust easily guarantees durability.
You can easily install and maintain them because they are light and can be handled with ease.
It is important to note that vinyl gutters are good for regions with milder climatic conditions.
So, if your mobile home is located in a region with a harsher climate, it is important to think twice.
For instance, they can develop cracks when expose to extreme cold.
That will force you to carry out frequent replacements. Well, that is expensive.
Also, poor installation can lead to a great problem of sagging. If you cannot trust your skills, it is a prudent idea to task a professional with this job.
3. Stainless Steel
If your mobile home is constructed with shingles on the roof, stainless steel is the best choice for gutters.
Stainless steel is one of the most available materials in the market.
As the name suggests, they do not rust and therefore, the shiny appearance is retained for many years.
Just not to mention that they are formidable and can virtually resist destruction by rust.
Owing to these great properties, stainless steel materials are expensive and that calls for an extension on your expenses.
But it is a choice that guarantees quality. Quality and beauty go hand in.
4. Copper And Steel Materials
Available in a myriad of sizes and varieties, copper and steel are galvanized gutters.
They are very sturdy and guarantee durability.
These materials are expensive as compared to their counterparts because of their prevalence and dominance in the market.
5. Zinc
If your mobile home is built in a region situated near the coast where the air is salty, zinc gutters are the best for you for obvious reasons.
First, they are very resistant to corrosion due to rusting.
Secondly, they can resist weathering ensuring that they are in proper working conditions for many years.
Contrary to typical gutters, zinc gutters are unique in their mode of installation.
As such, you will need to bring in a professional to handle the job precisely and properly.
It involves special welding on the joints, a job that can only be handled by a professional.
It is noteworthy that zinc gutters are more expensive than other gutters.
You, therefore need to flex your financial muscle properly. They are worth it.
How Can You Install Gutters On A Mobile Home?
It is now time to walk the talk and face your project with energy.
But then, you require a step-by-step guide. It is time to carry out the installation with precision and smartness.
Requirements and Tools
- Gutters
- Downspout
- Drill driver
- Joints
- Ladder
- Saw
- Hammer
- Epoxy
- Screws and nails
- Tin snips
Instructions
Below are five major steps for the installation of gutters in your mobile home.
1. Take The Measurements Of The Gutter
You start by measuring the length of the gutter required for installation.
To drain water properly, you should keep in mind that a gentle slope should be kept in mind. Ideally, this should be an inch drop in every 20 feet.
Keep this sloping constant to the downspout.
That means you need to have figured out an ideal placement for the downspouts before embarking on gutter installation.
Typically, downspouts are positioned on the low sides of the roof.
You should not restrict yourself to one downspout. You can even install four for increased efficiency.
2. Gather Your Gutters On The Site
All the sections that need to be joined are connected using epoxy.
To cut the gutters into the required lengths, use a saw.
You can also use tin snips in place of a saw. It saves you time and energy you would otherwise have spent lifting the gutters one by one.
3. Fix The Gutters In Place
Proceed to place the in place against the walls of your mobile home.
Your gutters must have nails or screws that are used to attach them against the wall in the line of the roof.
Others will be installed to tap water from the shingle’s side.
All placements locations must have fasteners to keep them intact.
4. Hook The Gutters Together At The Corners
While hooking them up, make sure they are placed in a sloping manner to allow water to drain through them with ease.
The drainage goes to the corners where you have installed the downspouts.
5. Attach The Downspouts To Gutters
This is the last step in gutter installation for your mobile home.
And, as we mentioned before, the attachment point is the lowest point of the gutters.
Proceed to secure them properly in a corner.
Screws can do this job very well.
Now, your gutters should be ready to drain water properly.
Conclusion
Installation of water gutters in a mobile home should not be a complicated procedure anymore.
Arm yourself with these tips and get to know exactly what your job entails.
When you have a guide at your disposal, it becomes a lot easier to understand the requirements, installation costs, and overall expenses of the project.
It is time to secure your mobile home from water damage and give it an appealing look. Best of luck!