Which Gutters are Right for Your Home?
The first thing to consider when you are purchasing new gutters is, “Why?” This important 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 only three reasons homeowners might be in the market for new rain gutters:
An Upgrade – Installing new gutters can really affect the curb appeal of your home, enhancing its look in a more subtle way than painting or new landscaping.
A New House – Designing a home comes with a lot of of choices about both appearance and functionality. Rain gutters are one of them. Deciding on the gutters that go on your home is important because they will need to last at least 15 years.
A Renovation – If your home’s roof has had damage, the gutters may need to be replaced. Or, they might just be wearing down and need to be replaced with new ones.
You will know why you are replacing the rain gutters, but the reason usually has underlying motivations…
You want to sell your house.
You want to renovate but not spend a lot of money.
Your landscaping is being ruined by ineffective gutters.
Figuring out your “Why” will help to give you direction while you are shopping for new gutters. You’ll know what features are important or if you can go with a more affordable product.
Here are the major 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 materials. Gutters can blend in or stand out against your home, 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 affordable materials that hold up well in most scenarios, except in extremely cold climates, where they can become brittle. Vinyl and plastic gutters are sufficient in almost every region of the country, and they come in a wide range of colors.
METAL & ALUMINUM GUTTERS
These mid-priced materials are attractive 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 gutter materials, copper and stainless steel are the most expensive, but the most eye-catching as well. Homeowners in Edina who decide on these materials are searching for an elegant touch, and that’s exactly what they’ll get!
WHAT ARE IMPORTANT GUTTER FEATURES?
Most of the gutter options 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, many 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 are going to occur.
Seamless gutters – Seamless gutters will need to be installed by a professional contractor because they need special equipment. They are more expensive to order 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 far more popular because they look great with every style of home. They’re better for angled roofs, which are far more common. This one of the reasons for their popularity. And, they are easy 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 are best for rounded roofs, popular before 1950, so they provide homes a regal, classic appearance. However, modern styles made from vinyl and plastic offer the best of both worlds, because they are both lightweight and functional. Half-Round rain gutters are much harder to install, but they are 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 what gutters you should purchase. As we already mentioned, certain types of materials will not hold up well in extremely cold climates.
The most important climate factor to think about 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 Edina will take several factors into consideration to determine the size and the type of rain gutters that are going to work best for your home.
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 should also look into 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 basic length times width calculation for basic roofs. But, you have to figure 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. Figuring out your roof-pitch factor will help you calculate how much rainfall will actually be collected, regardless of the rainfall statistics.
DOES IT SNOW WHERE YOU LIVE?
Snowfall is factored into precipitation calculations, but you definitely want to be aware of 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 might severely damage your roof.
Of course, the last 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 pay a professional to install your gutters. Professional installation will ensure maximum efficiency, versus doing it yourself.
Most homeowners should consider paying a little extra for professional labor, to ensure that the installation will be done right. An added bonus of hiring Just Gutters Inc. to install your new gutters is that we will help you answer all your questions about gutters so that you find the best style and type for your home.