Which Gutters Are Right For Your Home?
The number one thing to consider when you are purchasing new gutters is, “Why?” This question will help you answer many of the questions you’ll have before purchasing your selection.
In our experience as a local gutter service, here are three reasons homeowners will be in the market for new rain gutters:
An Upgrade – Switching out the rain gutters can really affect the appearance of your house, enhancing its look in a more subtle way than painting or landscaping.
A New Home – Building a home comes with a lot of of choices about both appearance and functionality. Rain gutters are one of them. Choosing the gutters that go on your home is important because they should last approximately 20 years or more.
A Renovation – If the roof on your home has experienced damage, the gutters may need to be replaced. Or, they may just be getting too old and need to be replaced.
You will know why you are installing new gutters, but the reason typically has underlying motivations…
You want to sell your house.
You want to renovate without spending too much money.
Your landscaping is getting damaged by ineffective gutters.
Determining your “Why” will often give you direction while you are shopping. You’ll know if certain features are important or if you can choose a more affordable product.
Here are the questions you’ll need to ask when it’s time to install new gutters.
HOW TO CHOOSE GUTTER MATERIALS?
The best part of installing new gutters is choosing the materials. Gutters will blend in or stand out against your home, depending on your preference.
These are the choices for materials, in order of lowest to highest cost:
VINYL & PLASTIC GUTTERS
Vinyl and plastic are affordable options that are durable in most cases, besides extremely cold climates, where they can wear down. Vinyl and plastic gutters are efficient in almost every region of the country, and they are available in a wide variety of colors.
METAL & ALUMINUM GUTTERS
These reasonably priced options are both attractive and durable. Both materials come in a variety of colors as well. They are fairly lightweight and not hard to install. Galvanized metals (coated with zinc to protect them) are able to resist rust and corrosion even better.
COPPER & STAINLESS STEEL GUTTERS
Of all the gutter materials, copper and stainless steel cost the most, but are the most stylish as well. Homeowners in Folsom who decide on these materials are searching for an elegant touch, and that’s just what they’ll get!
WHAT ARE IMPORTANT GUTTER FEATURES?
Most of the gutter types above will offer both of these options:
SECTIONAL OR SEAMLESS GUTTERS
Sectional gutters – These types of gutters are made in smaller sections, so they are easy to install. In fact, most homeowners decide to install their own sectional gutters on their own. This type is the less expensive choice, and they have more seams, which means there are more areas where leaks are going to occur.
Seamless gutters – Seamless gutters should be installed by a contractor because they need specialized tools. They’re more expensive to purchase and to 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’re better for angled roofs, which are far more common. This speaks to their popularity. In addition, they are not hard to install. Most homeowners are proficient enough to install their own K-Style gutters.
Half-Round – Half-Round gutters are traditionally made of copper and steel, and they are best for rounded roofs, popular before 1950, so they give homes a luxurious, classic appearance. However, more modern styles made from vinyl and plastic offer the best of both worlds, because they are both lightweight and functional. Half-Round rain gutters are harder to install, but they are easier to clean out, when the time comes for gutter cleaning.
DOES CLIMATE AFFECT GUTTERS?
The climate of your region will dictate a lot about what gutters you can havecontractors use is no secret. Here are the pieces of specific information you will need to decide how large your gutters should be:
Average Rainfall – This weather statistic can be found online on the National Weather Service or the U.S. Weather Bureau website. You should also check the maximum rainfall intensity for the city you live in. This is the maximum amount of rain that will occur within a 5-minute span.
Roof Square Footage – Square footage is a standard length times width calculation for residential roofs. However, you want to factor in all the surfaces of multi-faceted roofs.
Roof-Pitch Factor – A steep roof will collect more wind-blown rain than a less sloped roof. Knowing your roof-pitch factor is going to help you calculate how much rainfall will actually be collected, regardless of the average rainfall statistics found online.
DOES IT SNOW WHERE YOU LIVE?
Snowfall is factored into precipitation calculations, but you definitely want to consider the potential for ice dams forming on your roof. If it snows regularly in your state, you should seek professional guidance about the type of gutters that help to prevent ice dams, which could really damage your roof.
Of course, the last question is possibly the most important …
HOW TO INSTALL GUTTERS?
You also need to ask yourself if you’re willing to try to do the work yourself, or if you want to enlist the services of a professional to install your new gutters. Professional installation ensures maximum efficiency, instead of doing it yourself.
Most homeowners should consider paying a little extra for labor, to ensure that the installation will be done correctly. Another bonus of hiring Folsom Gutter Service to install the new gutters is that we will help you answer all of your questions about new gutters so that you find the perfect style and type.