Which Gutters are Right for Your Home?

The number one thing to consider when you are purchasing new gutters is, “Why?” This question will help you answer most of the subsequent questions you’ll have before making your selection.

In our experience as a local gutter service, here are three reasons homeowners might be in the market for new rain gutters:

An Upgrade – Switching out the rain gutters can significantly impact the appearance of your home, improving its look in a more subtle way than painting or new landscaping.

A New Home – Designing a home comes with a lot of of choices about appearance and functionality. Rain gutters are no exception. Deciding on the first gutters that go on your home is important because they will need to last at least 15 years.

A Renovation – If the roof on your home has had damage, the gutters might have to be replaced, too. Or, they may simply be wearing down and need to be replaced.

You will know why you are installing new gutters, but the reason often has underlying motivations…

You want to sell your home.

You want to renovate but not spend too much money.

Your landscaping is being damaged by ineffective gutters.

Figuring out your “Why” will help to give you direction while you are shopping for new gutters. You’ll know if certain features are worth spending money on or if you can go with a less expensive product.

Here are the questions you’ll want to consider when it’s time to purchase new gutters.

HOW TO CHOOSE GUTTER MATERIALS?

The best part about purchasing new gutters is choosing the materials. Gutters will blend in or stand out against your home exterior, depending on your personal preference.

These are the options for materials, in order of lowest to highest cost:

VINYL & PLASTIC GUTTERS

Vinyl and plastic are economical options that are durable in most cases, besides cold climates, where they can deteriorate. Vinyl and plastic gutters are sufficient in most regions of the country, and they are available in a wide variety of colors.

METAL & ALUMINUM GUTTERS

These mid-priced materials are both stylish and durable. Both of these materials are available in a variety of colors too. They are fairly light and easy to install. Galvanized metals (coated with zinc to protect them) are able to withstand rust and corrosion even better.

COPPER & STAINLESS STEEL GUTTERS

Of all the rain gutter materials, copper and stainless steel cost the most, but are the most attractive as well. Homeowners in Plainfield who choose 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 will offer these options below:

SECTIONAL OR SEAMLESS GUTTERS

Sectional gutters – These rain gutters are made in smaller sections, so they’re easier to install. In fact, homeowners choose to install their own sectional gutters on their own. This type is the more affordable choice, and they have more seams, which means there are more areas where leaks can occur.

Seamless gutters – Seamless gutters need to be installed by a professional contractor because they need special tools. They’re more expensive to purchase and to install, but they are 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 more common. This one of the reasons for their popularity. In addition, they are easy 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 before 1950, so they give homes a luxurious, classic curb appeal. However, more modern styles made out of vinyl and plastic provide the best of both worlds, because they are lightweight and highly functional. Half-Round rain gutters are much harder to install, but much easier to clean out, when the time comes for gutter cleaning.

DOES CLIMATE AFFECT GUTTERS?

The climate of your region will determine a lot about which gutters you should install. As we already mentioned, some materials don’t hold up in cold climates.

The single most important climate factor is how much work the gutters will have to do. In other words, how much water are the gutters going to need to withstand?

Professional gutter companies in Plainfield can take a lot of factors into consideration to get a good idea of the size and the type of rain gutters that will work best for your house.

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 should also find 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 standard length times width calculation for basic roofs. However, you need to figure 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 will help to estimate 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 factored into precipitation calculations, but you also want to be aware of the potential for ice dams. If it snows regularly in your state, you should seek professional guidance about the type of rain gutters that best prevent ice dams from forming, which might severely damage your home’s roof.

Of course, the last question is possibly the most important …

HOW TO INSTALL GUTTERS?

You also need 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 gutters. Professional installation ensures maximum efficiency, versus doing it yourself.

Most homeowners should consider paying a little extra for professional labor, knowing that the job will be done right. An added bonus of hiring Premiere Plainfield Gutters to install your gutters is that we will help you answer all your questions about gutters so that you are able to find the perfect style and type.