Which Gutters Are Right For Your Home?
The number one thing to consider when you are shopping for new gutters is, “Why?” This pivotal question will help you answer the subsequent questions you’ll have before purchasing your ultimate selection.
In our experience as a local gutter service, here are just three reasons homeowners will be in the market for new rain gutters:
An Upgrade – Installing new gutters can really impact the exterior style of your house, 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 both appearance and functionality. Rain gutters are no exception. Deciding on the first gutters that go on your house is important because they will need to last approximately 15-20 years or more.
A Renovation – If your roof is damaged, the gutters might need to be replaced, too. Or, they could just be getting too old and need to be replaced with new ones.
You will know why you are installing new rain gutters on your home, but the reason often has underlying motivations…
You want to sell your home.
You want to renovate without spending a lot of money.
Your landscaping is getting ruined by ineffective gutters.
Determining your “Why” will give you direction while you are shopping for new gutters. You’ll know if certain features are important or if you can go with a more affordable product.
Here are the questions you’ll need to ask when purchasing new gutters.
HOW TO CHOOSE GUTTER MATERIALS?
The fun part about installing new rain gutters is picking out the style. Gutters can blend in or stand out against your house, depending on your personal preference.
These are the options you will have, in order of lowest to highest cost:
VINYL & PLASTIC GUTTERS
Vinyl and plastic are affordable options that are durable in most scenarios, besides extremely cold climates, where they can wear down. Vinyl and plastic gutters are sufficient in almost every region of the country, and they come in a wide variety of colors.
METAL & ALUMINUM GUTTERS
These reasonably priced options are attractive and durable. Both materials are available in a variety of colors too. They are fairly lightweight and are easy 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 rain gutter materials, copper and stainless steel are the most expensive, but are the most eye-catching as well. Homeowners in Hoover 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 both of these options below:
SECTIONAL OR SEAMLESS GUTTERS
Sectional gutters – These types of rain gutters come in smaller sections, so they are easy to install. In fact, most homeowners choose to install their own sectional gutters. This type is the less expensive choice, and they have more seams, which means more areas where leaks are going to occur.
Seamless gutters – Seamless gutters need to be installed by a local contractor because they require special equipment. They are more expensive to purchase and install, but they are 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 virtually any style of home. They’re better for angled roofs, which are far more common. This one of the reasons for their popularity. Plus, they are not hard to install. Most homeowners are proficient enough to install their own K-Style gutters by themselves.
Half-Round – Half-Round gutters are usually made of copper and steel, and they complement rounded roofs, popular prior to 1950, so they provide homes a regal, established appearance. However, modern styles made from vinyl and plastic offer the best of both worlds, because they are lightweight and highly functional. Half-Round gutters are harder to install, but they are easier to clean out, when it’s time for gutter cleaning.
DOES CLIMATE AFFECT GUTTERS?
The climate of the region you live in may 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 statistic can be found 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 maximum amount of rain that will occur within a 5-minute span.
Roof Square Footage – Square footage is a simple length times width calculation for basic 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. Figuring out your roof-pitch factor will help you calculate how much rainfall will actually be collected, regardless of the rainfall statistics.
DOES IT SNOW WHERE YOU LIVE?
Snowfall will be included in precipitation calculations, but you also want to be aware of the potential for ice dams. If it snows a lot in your region, you should seek professional guidance concerning the type of rain gutters that help to prevent ice dams from forming, which can severely damage your roof.
Of course, the last question is probably the most important …
HOW TO INSTALL GUTTERS?
You also need 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 efficiency, versus doing it yourself.
Most homeowners are better off paying a little extra for labor, to ensure that the job will be done right. Another bonus of hiring Hoover Gutter Service to install the gutters is that we can help you answer all of your questions about gutters so that you find the perfect style and type.