Which Gutters are Right for Your Home?
The first thing to consider when you are planning to install new gutters is, “Why?” This question will help to answer the following questions you’ll have before making your final selection.
In our experience as a local gutter service, here are three reasons homeowners will be shopping for new gutters:
An Upgrade – Switching out the gutters can really affect the appearance of your house, improving its look in a more subtle way than painting or new landscaping.
A New Home – Designing a new home comes with a lot of of decisions about appearance and functionality. Rain gutters are one of them. Choosing the 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 may need to be replaced, too. Or, they might just be wearing down and need to be replaced with new ones.
You will know why you are installing new rain gutters, 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 damaged by ineffective gutters.
Figuring out your “Why” will often 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 major questions you’ll need to ask when it’s time to purchase new gutters.
HOW TO CHOOSE GUTTER MATERIALS?
The fun part about choosing new gutters is choosing the materials. Gutters will blend in or stand out against your house, depending on your preference.
These are the choices for materials, in order of cost:
VINYL & PLASTIC GUTTERS
Vinyl and plastic are economical choices that hold up well in most cases, besides extremely cold climates, where they can wear down. Vinyl and plastic gutters are efficient in most regions of the country, and they come in a wide range of colors.
METAL & ALUMINUM GUTTERS
These reasonably priced options are both stylish and durable. Both materials come in a wide range of colors as well. They are fairly lightweight and are not hard to install. Galvanized metals (coated with zinc to protect them) will withstand 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 Mansfield who choose 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 materials above offer these options:
SECTIONAL OR SEAMLESS GUTTERS
Sectional gutters – These 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 have more seams, which means there are more sections where leaks can occur.
Seamless gutters – Seamless gutters should be installed by a local contractor because they require special tools. They’re more expensive to buy 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 great with virtually any style of home. They are better for angled roofs, which are more common. This speaks to 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 traditionally made of copper and steel, and they recommended for rounded roofs, popular prior to 1950, so they provide homes a regal, classic appearance. However, more modern styles made out of vinyl and plastic provide the best of both worlds, because they are lightweight and functional. Half-Round gutters are harder to install, but they are easier to clean, when the time comes for gutter cleaning.
DOES CLIMATE AFFECT GUTTERS?
The climate of your region may determine a lot about the gutters you should install. As we already mentioned, certain types of materials will not hold up in cold climates.
The most important climate factor is how much work the gutters will have to do. Basically, how much rain or water are the gutters going to need to handle?
Professional gutter installers in Mansfield can take several factors into account to get a good idea of the size and the type of gutters that will 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 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 maximum amount of rain that will occur within a 5-minute span.
Roof Square Footage – Square footage is a basic length times width calculation for standard roofs. However, you will need to figure 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 estimate how much rainfall will actually be collected, regardless of the average rainfall statistics found online.
DOES IT SNOW WHERE YOU LIVE?
Snowfall is going to be factored into precipitation calculations, but you definitely want to consider the potential for ice dams. If it snows regularly in your region, you should seek professional guidance concerning the type of gutters that best prevent ice dams, which could severely damage your roof.
Of course, the last question is possibly the most important …
HOW TO INSTALL GUTTERS?
You also have to ask yourself if you’re going to do the work on your own, or if you want to hire a professional to install your new gutters. Professional installation will ensure maximum efficiency, versus doing it yourself.
Most homeowners are better off paying a little extra for professional labor, to ensure that the job will be done correctly. An added bonus of hiring Quick Clean Gutters to install your gutters is that we can help you answer all of your questions about new gutters so that you find the best style and type.