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I have to cut in some gable vents in a building that has aluminum siding on it. Does anyone have any suggestions on the best way to cut these in?
Will I need to take down each individual piece and cut it or is there an easier way to cut these in without taking down any siding?
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Buy the vents first.
A lot of manufactured gable vents come in 2 pieces; the first piece is the frame which screws in place, and the 2nd piece is a trim piece which snaps onto the frame.
If you have one of these types, use the vent frame as a guide and draw the outline using a pen marker. Drill a hole near the inside corner, and use a sawzall with a bimetal blade to make the cutout.
Just make sure no wiring or plumbing is located behind wall before you start cutting.
Cutout doesn't have to be perfect, the trim snap piece will eliminate any minor imperfections.
Read the enclosed directions that come with the vent.
And don't forget to caulk behind frame piece before installing. You may have to add some flashing too, but most vents are constructed to shed the water from the siding.("J" channel construction) Just read the enclosed directions.
Good luck.
Davo.