Installing a Rain Diverter In 8 Steps

180 Contractors • May 22, 2021

DIY guide on how to Install Rain Diverter

A Downspout and rain diverter is vital to prevent water from stagnating at one place, eroding the soil around the foundation, leaking the basement, and splashing dirt around the siding. They can easily collect and carry away rainwater to prevent all the possibilities of damage.


Though installing the diverter is the work of professionals, being a DIY creator, you would like to install it by yourself.


You can get accessories and all the material from lumberyards, home centers, and roofing supply firms.


How to Install Rain Diverter in 8 steps

1. Measurements and snapping layout lines

First of all, you need to mark the highest point of the rain diverter 1.4 inches below the drip edge flashing. It would be drawn on the fascia. By the opposite side of the fascia, mark for the low end of the diverter.


Remember to leave the slope of 0.5 inches after every 10 feet. After marking the two points, snap the line between them.


2. Fixing fascia brackets

Locating the rafter tails, mark on the line for each on the fascia. Start drilling a 0.8-inch diameter pilot hole into the breach mark throughout the fascia. Thereby, you need to bring 0.4-inch stainless steel lag screws to fasten fascia brackets. You can rub soap on the screws for easy application.


3. Cut rain diverter to length

It’s time to cut the 45° angle of the diverter section to length with equipment like aviation snips, saw, hacksaw. If you need two sections, use screws to join and overlap them.

 

4. Attaching end caps

By the square-cut end of the rain diverter, fix a spherical end cap with pop rivets or with another end. Temporarily hold the end cap with a screw to perform the attachment and then remove and replace it with the rivet.


5. Cutting of downspout holes

Now you need to turn the diverter upside down and mark the location for the downspout on its low end. Take help of the outlet.


Before installing a rain diverter, drill a 0.4-inch diameter hole into the circular outline’s center after turning it upside down.


6. Time to install the rain diverter

After properly installing fixing parts, it’s time to let the diverter sit into the brackets you designed on the fascia with screws. Let it fit into the hooks at the top back of brackets. For doing this, you need to keep on rotating the diverter upward.


Drill the holes in the front edge of the diverter through the screw-mounting holes sitting in each bracket. Finally, screw them with stainless steel machine screws.


7. Cover joints with strip miter at corners

After you install the diverter, cover the joints at each corner of the gutter with the help of a 3-inch wide aluminum strip meter. Don’t forget to cut the triangular section with the snips and fold down the two flaps.


8. Connecting downspout to rain diverter

With the help of 4 screws, attach the downspout outlet with the diverter.


Finally, congratulations! Here you install a rain diverter.

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