Keep the Water in the Gutter Where It Belongs

20 minutes and a few dollars will fix unwanted water flow.

• Exterior Projects
• Easy Repairs
• Exterior Maintenance
• Home Repair

If rainwater cascading down your roof valley causes a waterfall that washes out the petunias every time it storms, do this simple fix. It costs only a few dollars and takes about 20 minutes to complete. You can find these precut splash guards ($3) in both brown and white aluminum at a home center, but you could easily make your own out of aluminum or sheet metal and spray paint them to match your gutters. If you don't own a Pop riveter, attach the guards with 1/2-inch sheet metal screws instead.

Drill 1/8-inch holes through both the splash guard and the gutter.

Press the head of a 1/8-inch rivet into each hole. Place the Pop rivet tool over the shaft of the rivet and squeeze the handle once or twice to compress the rivet and break off the stem.

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“ Introduce your family to a new culture by eating at an ethnic restaurant. Each offers us the opportunity to discover not only new and wonderful food, but also good people representing the full spectrum of cultures in the world. ”

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My friend Agnes is an accomplished harpist who frequently plays for weddings, receptions, parties and other such events. She is also blond and has an appropriately cherubic face. She was on her way to an engagement at the Peabody Hotel in Memphis, and stepped into an elevator with her large golden harp. Just before the doors closed, a distinguished gray-haired man stepped on. As the elevator rose, he looked thoughtfully first at her and then her harp and asked, "And just how far up are you going?"

-- Margaret B. Ellis, Mobile, Ala.