Which Gutters are Right for Your Home?
The very first thing to ask yourself when you are planning to install new gutters is, “Why?” This question will help to answer most of the subsequent questions you’ll have before making your selection.
In our experience as a local gutter service, here are only three reasons homeowners will be shopping for new gutters:
An Upgrade – Installing new gutters can drastically impact the appearance of your home, increasing its look in a more subtle way than painting or new landscaping.
A New House – Designing a home comes with a constant stream of choices about both appearance and functionality. Rain gutters included. Choosing the gutters that go on your home is important because they will need to last approximately 20 years or more.
A Renovation – If the roof on your home is damaged, the gutters might need to be replaced, too. Or, they might simply be deteriorating and need to be replaced.
You will know why you are replacing the gutters on your home, but the reason often has underlying motivations…
You want to sell your house.
You want to renovate but not spend a lot of money.
Your landscaping is getting ruined by ineffective gutters.
Determining your “Why” will help to give you direction while you are shopping. You’ll know what features are worth spending money on or if you can choose 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 choosing new gutters is choosing the style. Gutters will blend in or stand out against your home, 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 choices that are durable in most scenarios, other than cold climates, where they will deteriorate. Vinyl and plastic gutters are acceptable in most regions of the country, and they come in a wide range of colors.
METAL & ALUMINUM GUTTERS
These mid-priced options are stylish and durable. Both materials come in a variety of colors too. They are fairly light and are easy to install. Galvanized metals (coated with zinc to protect them) will 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 attractive as well. Homeowners in Kent who purchase these materials are looking for an elegant touch, and that’s exactly what they’ll get!
WHAT ARE IMPORTANT GUTTER FEATURES?
Most of the gutter types above offer both of these options:
SECTIONAL OR SEAMLESS GUTTERS
Sectional gutters – These types of rain gutters are made in smaller sections, so they’re easier to install. In fact, most homeowners choose to install their own sectional gutters on their own. 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 will need to be installed by a local contractor because they need special equipment. They are more expensive to buy and 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 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 by themselves.
Half-Round – Half-Round gutters are usually made of copper and steel, and they recommended for rounded roofs, popular before 1950, so they give homes a regal, classic appearance. However, more modern styles made from vinyl and plastic provide the best of both worlds, being both lightweight and highly functional. Half-Round rain gutters are a lot harder to install, but easier to clean out, when the time comes for gutter cleaning.
DOES CLIMATE AFFECT GUTTERS?
The climate of your region may dictate a lot about which gutters you can have. Like we mentioned, certain materials don’t hold up well in extremely cold climates.
The single most important climate factor to consider is how much work the gutters will have to do. Essentially, how much rain or water are the gutters going to need to withstand?
Professional gutter installers in Kent are going to take many factors into account to get a good idea of the size and the type of gutters that are going to work best for your house.
WHAT IS THE FORMULA?
Luckily, the formula professional roofing 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 online on the National Weather Service or the U.S. Weather Bureau website. You can also check the maximum rainfall intensity for your area. This is the max amount of rain that can happen within a 5-minute span.
Roof Square Footage – Square footage is a standard length times width calculation for basic roofs. But, you need to factor in all the surfaces of multi-faceted roofs.
Roof-Pitch Factor – A steep roof will collect more wind-blown rain than a roof that is less sloped. Determining your roof-pitch factor will help you determine how much rainfall will actually be collected, regardless of the rainfall statistics.
DOES IT SNOW WHERE YOU LIVE?
Snowfall is going to be 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 state, you should seek professional guidance concerning the type of gutters that help to prevent ice dams, which might severely damage your home’s roof.
Of course, the last question is arguably the most important …
HOW TO INSTALL GUTTERS?
You also have to ask yourself if you’re going to try to do the work on your own, or if you want to pay a professional to install your gutters. Professional installation will ensure maximum efficiency, compared to doing it yourself.
Most homeowners should consider paying a little extra for labor, knowing that the job will be done right. An added bonus of hiring Kent Gutter Cleaning to install your 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 for your home.