Which Gutters are Right for Your Home?
The first thing to ask yourself when you are shopping for new gutters is, “Why?” This pivotal question will help you answer the following questions you’ll have before purchasing your ultimate selection.
In our experience as a local gutter service, here are just three reasons homeowners might be in the market for new rain gutters:
An Upgrade – Switching out the gutters can drastically impact the curb appeal of your house, improving its look in a subtler way than painting or new landscaping.
A New Home – Building a home comes with a lot of of choices about both appearance and functionality. Rain gutters are no exception. Deciding on the gutters that go on your house is important because they should last at least 15-20 years or more.
A Renovation – If your roof has had damage, the gutters might have to be replaced. Or, they may just be aging and need to be replaced with new ones.
You will know why you are replacing the rain gutters on your home, but the reason usually has underlying motivations…
You want to sell your house.
You want to renovate but not spend a lot of money.
Your landscaping is getting damaged by ineffective gutters.
Figuring out your “Why” will help to provide direction while you are shopping. You’ll know what features are must-haves or if you can go with a less expensive product.
Here are the major questions you’ll have when purchasing new gutters.
HOW TO CHOOSE GUTTER MATERIALS?
The fun part of choosing new gutters is picking out the style. Gutters can blend in or stand out against your house, depending on your preference.
These are the choices you will have, in order of cost:
VINYL & PLASTIC GUTTERS
Vinyl and plastic are affordable materials that are durable in most cases, besides extremely cold climates, where they will become brittle. Vinyl and plastic gutters are acceptable in almost every region of the country, and they come in a wide range of colors.
METAL & ALUMINUM GUTTERS
These reasonably priced materials are both attractive and durable. Both of these materials come in a wide range of colors too. They are fairly light and are not difficult to install. Galvanized metals (coated with zinc to protect them) will fend off rust and corrosion even better.
COPPER & STAINLESS STEEL GUTTERS
Of all the gutter materials, copper and stainless steel are the most expensive, but the most attractive as well. Homeowners in Middletown who choose these options are searching for an elegant touch, and that’s what they’ll get!
WHAT ARE IMPORTANT GUTTER FEATURES?
Most of the gutter types above will offer both of these options below:
SECTIONAL OR SEAMLESS GUTTERS
Sectional gutters – These types of rain gutters are made in smaller sections, so they are easier to install. In fact, homeowners choose to install their own sectional gutters. This type is the more affordable 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 professional contractor because they need special 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 excellent with almost any 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 complement rounded roofs, popular before 1950, so they give homes a regal, classic curb appeal. However, modern styles made out of 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, when the time comes for gutter cleaning.
DOES CLIMATE AFFECT GUTTERS?
The climate of the region you live in will determine a lot about which gutters you should install. Like we mentioned, certain materials will not hold up well in cold climates.
The most important climate factor is how much work the gutters will need to do. Essentially, how much water are your gutters going to need to withstand?
Professional gutter contractors in Middletown are going to take a lot of factors into consideration to determine the size and type of rain gutters that are going to work the best for your roof.
WHAT IS THE FORMULA?
Luckily, the formula professional contractors 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 statistic is available online on the National Weather Service or the U.S. Weather Bureau website. You can also look into the maximum rainfall intensity for the city you live in. This is the max amount of rain that occurs within a 5-minute span.
Roof Square Footage – Square footage is a standard length times width calculation for standard roofs. But, you want to figure all the surfaces of multi-faceted roofs.
Roof-Pitch Factor – A roof that is steep will collect more wind-blown rain than a roof that is less sloped. Knowing your roof-pitch factor is going to help you determine how much rainfall will actually be collected, regardless of the average rainfall statistics found online.
DOES IT SNOW WHERE YOU LIVE?
Snowfall is included in precipitation calculations, but you definitely want to be aware of the potential for ice dams forming on your roof. If it snows a lot in your region, you should seek professional guidance concerning the type of rain gutters that best prevent ice dams, which might severely damage your 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 try to do the work yourself, or if you are going to hire 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 right. Another bonus of hiring Swift Gutters Inc. to install your new gutters is that we are able to help you answer all of your questions about new gutters so that you are able to find the best style and type.