Which Gutters are Right for Your Home?
The number one thing to consider when you are planning to install new gutters is, “Why?” This pivotal question will help you answer the questions you’ll have before making your final selection.
In our experience as a local gutter service, here are just three reasons homeowners might be shopping for new gutters:
An Upgrade – Switching out the rain gutters can significantly affect the curb appeal of your house, increasing its look in a more subtle way than painting or new landscaping.
A New Home – Designing a home comes with a lot of of decisions about both appearance and functionality. Rain gutters are one of them. Deciding on the first gutters that go on your home is important because they will need to last approximately 15-20 years.
A Renovation – If your roof has suffered damage, the gutters might need to be replaced, too. Or, they might just be deteriorating and need to be replaced with new ones.
You know why you are replacing the rain gutters on your home, but the reason typically has underlying motivations…
You want to sell your home.
You want to renovate but not spend too much money.
Your landscaping is being ruined by ineffective gutters.
Determining your “Why” will help to provide direction while you are shopping. You’ll know what features are important or if you can choose a less expensive product.
Here are the questions you’ll need to ask when it’s time to install new gutters.
HOW TO CHOOSE GUTTER MATERIALS?
The fun part about choosing new gutters is picking out the style. Gutters will blend in or stand out against your house, depending on your personal preference.
These are the choices you will have, in order of lowest to highest cost:
VINYL & PLASTIC GUTTERS
Vinyl and plastic are economical options that hold up well in most cases, other than extremely cold climates, where they will wear down. Vinyl and plastic gutters are efficient in most regions of the country, and they are available in a wide variety of colors.
METAL & ALUMINUM GUTTERS
These reasonably priced options are both stylish and durable. Both materials are available in a variety of colors too. They are fairly lightweight and not difficult to install. Galvanized metals (coated with zinc to protect them) resist rust and corrosion even better.
COPPER & STAINLESS STEEL GUTTERS
Of all the rain gutter materials available, copper and stainless steel are the most expensive, but are the most attractive as well. Homeowners in Springfield who choose these options are looking for an elegant touch, and that’s just what they’ll get!
WHAT ARE IMPORTANT GUTTER FEATURES?
Most of the gutter types above offer these options below:
SECTIONAL OR SEAMLESS GUTTERS
Sectional gutters – These rain gutters come in smaller sections, so they’re easy to install. In fact, most homeowners decide to install their own sectional gutters. This type is the more affordable choice, and they are made with more seams, which means more sections where leaks are going to occur.
Seamless gutters – Seamless gutters should be installed by a local contractor because they need special tools. They are more expensive to purchase and to install, but less likely to leak or wear down than sectional gutters.
K-STYLE OR HALF-ROUND GUTTERS
K-Style – K-Style gutters are popular because they look excellent with virtually any style of home. They’re better for angled roofs, which are more common. This one of the reasons for their popularity. In addition, they are not hard to install. Many homeowners are capable enough to install their own K-Style gutters by themselves.
Half-Round – Half-Round gutters are traditionally made of copper and steel, and they complement rounded roofs, popular prior to 1950, so they provide homes a regal, established curb appeal. However, modern styles made out of vinyl and plastic offer the best of both worlds, because they are lightweight and functional. Half-Round gutters are harder to install, but easier to clean out, when it’s time for gutter cleaning.
DOES CLIMATE AFFECT GUTTERS?
The climate of your region may dictate a lot about what gutters you can have. Like we already mentioned, certain types of materials don’t hold up well in cold climates.
The most important climate factor is how much work the gutters will have to do. In other words, how much rain or water are the gutters going to have to handle?
Professional gutter companies in Springfield will take many factors into consideration to get a good idea of the size and type of gutters that will 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 weather statistic can be found on the National Weather Service or the U.S. Weather Bureau website. You can also find the maximum rainfall intensity for your area. This is the max 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. But, you will 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 roof that is less sloped. Figuring out your roof-pitch factor is going to help to determine how much rainfall will be collected, regardless of the rainfall statistics found online.
DOES IT SNOW WHERE YOU LIVE?
Snowfall is factored into precipitation calculations, but you also want to consider the potential for ice dams forming on your roof. If it snows regularly in your region, you need to seek professional guidance concerning the type of gutters that help to prevent ice dams from forming, which might really damage your roof.
Of course, the final 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 on your own, or if you are going to enlist the services of a professional to install your new gutters. Professional installation ensures maximum efficiency, versus doing it yourself.
Most homeowners should consider paying a little extra for labor, knowing that the installation will be done correctly. An added bonus of hiring Good Gutters Inc. to install the new gutters is that we are able to help you answer all your questions about new gutters so that you find the perfect style and type.