Which Gutters Are Right For Your Home?
The very first thing to ask yourself when you are purchasing new gutters is, “Why?” This pivotal question will help you answer most of 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 – Switching out the gutters can really affect the exterior style of your house, enhancing its look in a subtler way than painting or landscaping.
A New Home – Building a new home comes with a lot of decisions about appearance and functionality. Gutters are one of them. Choosing the first gutters that go on your home is important because they should last approximately 15-20 years or more.
A Renovation – If the roof on your home has suffered damage, the gutters may need to be replaced, too. Or, they might simply be wearing down and need to be replaced with new ones.
You know why you are replacing the 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 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 purchasing new gutters.
HOW TO CHOOSE GUTTER MATERIALS?
The fun part of choosing new rain gutters is choosing the materials. Gutters can blend in or stand out against your house, depending on your personal preference.
These are the choices for materials, in order of lowest to highest cost:
VINYL & PLASTIC GUTTERS
Vinyl and plastic are economical choices that hold up well in most scenarios, besides cold climates, where they can become brittle. Vinyl and plastic gutters are efficient in nearly every region of the country, and they come in a wide range of colors.
METAL & ALUMINUM GUTTERS
These reasonably priced options are attractive and durable. Both of these materials come in a variety of colors too. They are fairly lightweight and are not difficult 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 cost the most, but the most stylish as well. Homeowners in Pittsfield who decide on these options are searching for an elegant touch, and that’s exactly 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 come in smaller sections, so they’re easy to install. In fact, homeowners choose 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 need to be installed by a contractor because they require specialized equipment. They are more expensive to buy and install, but less likely to leak than sectional gutters.
K-STYLE OR HALF-ROUND GUTTERS
K-Style – K-Style gutters are 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 easy to install. Most homeowners are capable enough to install their own K-Style gutters.
Half-Round – Half-Round gutters are traditionally made of copper and steel, and they recommended for rounded roofs, popular prior to 1950, so they provide homes a luxurious, established appearance. However, modern styles made from vinyl and plastic provide the best of both worlds, because they are both lightweight and highly functional. Half-Round rain gutters are much 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 the gutters you can have. Like we already mentioned, some materials don’t hold up in extremely cold climates.
The most important climate factor is how much work the gutters will have to do. Essentially, how much water are your gutters going to have to handle?
Professional gutter installers in Pittsfield will take a lot of factors into consideration to get a good idea of the size and type of rain gutters that are going to work the best for your home.
WHAT IS THE FORMULA?
Luckily, the formula professional contractors 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 statistic is available online on the National Weather Service or the U.S. Weather Bureau website. You can also find 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 residential roofs. But, you have 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. Knowing your roof-pitch factor will help you calculate how much rainfall will actually be collected, regardless of the rainfall statistics found online.
DOES IT SNOW WHERE YOU LIVE?
Snowfall is going to be included in precipitation calculations, but you definitely want to consider the potential for ice dams forming on your roof. If it snows often in your city, you should seek professional guidance concerning the type of gutters that best prevent ice dams from forming, which could really damage your home’s 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 yourself, or if you are going to pay a professional to install your new gutters. Professional installation will ensure maximum efficiency, compared to doing it yourself.
Most homeowners should consider paying a little extra for professional labor, knowing that the installation will be done right. An added bonus of hiring Superior Gutter Cleaning to install the new gutters is that we will help you answer all your questions about gutters so that you find the perfect style and type.