Which Gutters Are Right For Your Home?
The number one thing to ask yourself when you are purchasing new gutters is, “Why?” This pivotal question will help you answer the questions you’ll have before making your ultimate selection.
In our experience as a local gutter service, here are three reasons homeowners will be shopping for new rain gutters:
An Upgrade – Installing new rain gutters can drastically affect the appearance of your home, improving its look in a subtler way than painting or new landscaping.
A New Home – Building a new home comes with a lot of of decisions about appearance and functionality. Gutters included. Choosing the gutters that go on your home is important because they will need to last at least 15 years.
A Renovation – If the roof on your home has suffered damage, the gutters might need to be replaced. Or, they might just be deteriorating and need to be replaced.
You know why you are installing new rain gutters on your home, but the reason usually has underlying motivations…
You want to sell your house.
You want to renovate without spending too much money.
Your landscaping is getting ruined by ineffective gutters.
Figuring out your “Why” will help to give you direction while you are shopping for new gutters. You’ll know which features are important or if you can go with a more affordable product.
Here are the major questions you’ll have when it’s time to install new gutters.
HOW TO CHOOSE GUTTER MATERIALS?
The fun part about choosing new rain gutters is picking out the style. Gutters can blend in or stand out against your house, depending on your preference.
These are the options for materials, in order of lowest to highest cost:
VINYL & PLASTIC GUTTERS
Vinyl and plastic are economical options that hold up well in most scenarios, except in cold climates, where they can become brittle. Vinyl and plastic gutters are efficient in almost every region of the country, and they come in a wide variety of colors.
METAL & ALUMINUM GUTTERS
These mid-priced options are both attractive and durable. Both of these materials come in a wide range of colors as well. They are fairly light and are not hard to install. Galvanized metals (coated with zinc to protect them) withstand rust and corrosion even better.
COPPER & STAINLESS STEEL GUTTERS
Of all the gutter materials available, copper and stainless steel are the most expensive, but are the most stylish as well. Homeowners in Warner Robins who purchase these materials are looking for an elegant touch, and that’s what they’ll get!
WHAT ARE IMPORTANT GUTTER FEATURES?
Most of the gutter options above offer these options below:
SECTIONAL OR SEAMLESS GUTTERS
Sectional gutters – These types of gutters come in smaller sections, so they are easy to install. In fact, many homeowners decide to install their own sectional gutters. This type is the less expensive choice, and they are made with more seams, which means there are more areas where leaks are going to occur.
Seamless gutters – Seamless gutters will need to be installed by a contractor because they need specialized tools. They are more expensive to order and install, but less likely to leak than sectional gutters.
K-STYLE OR HALF-ROUND GUTTERS
K-Style – K-Style gutters are far more popular because they look great with every style of home. They are better for angled roofs, which are more common. This one of the reasons for their popularity. And, they are easy to install. Most homeowners are capable enough to install their own K-Style gutters.
Half-Round – Half-Round gutters are usually made of copper and steel, and they are best for rounded roofs, popular prior to 1950, so they give homes a regal, classic curb appeal. However, modern styles made from vinyl and plastic provide the best of both worlds, because they are lightweight and functional. Half-Round gutters are a lot harder to install, but much easier to clean out, when the time comes for gutter cleaning.
DOES CLIMATE AFFECT GUTTERS?
The climate of your region will determine a lot about what gutters you can havecontractors use is not a secret. Here are the pieces of specific information you will need to decide how large your gutters should be:
Average Rainfall – This weather statistic is available on the National Weather Service or the U.S. Weather Bureau website. You should also find the maximum rainfall intensity for the city you live in. This is the max amount of rain that can happen within a 5-minute span.
Roof Square Footage – Square footage is a simple length times width calculation for standard roofs. However, you want to factor in all the surfaces of multi-faceted roofs.
Roof-Pitch Factor – A roof that is steep will collect more wind-blown rain than a less sloped roof. Determining your roof-pitch factor will help to estimate how much rainfall will be collected, regardless of the rainfall statistics found online.
DOES IT SNOW WHERE YOU LIVE?
Snowfall will be factored into average precipitation calculations, but you definitely want to be aware of the potential for ice dams. If it snows regularly in your city, you should seek professional guidance about the type of gutters that best prevent ice dams, which might really damage your home’s roof.
Of course, the final question is possibly the most important …
HOW TO INSTALL GUTTERS?
You also have to ask yourself if you’re going to do the work on your own, or if you are going to pay a professional to install your gutters. Professional installation will ensure efficiency, compared to doing it yourself.
Most homeowners are better off paying a little extra for professional labor, knowing that the installation will be done correctly. An added bonus of hiring Warner Robins Gutters to install your new gutters is that we will help you answer all of your questions about gutters so that you are able to find the perfect style and type.