Which Gutters Are Right For Your Home?
The number one thing to consider when you are shopping for new gutters is, “Why?” This important question will help you answer the following questions you’ll have before making your final 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 rain gutters can drastically affect the appearance of your home, increasing its look in a more subtle way than painting or new landscaping.
A New Home – Building a new home comes with a constant stream of decisions about appearance and functionality. Rain gutters are no exception. Choosing the first gutters that go on your home is important because they will need to last approximately 20 years.
A Renovation – If your home’s roof has suffered damage, the gutters might need to be replaced, too. Or, they may just be getting too old and need to be replaced with new ones.
You will know why you are replacing the gutters, but the reason usually has underlying motivations…
You want to sell your home.
You want to renovate without spending too much money.
Your landscaping is getting damaged by ineffective gutters.
Figuring out your “Why” will help to provide direction while you are shopping. You’ll know which features are worth spending your money on or if you can choose a less expensive product.
Here are the questions you’ll want to consider when it’s time to install new gutters.
HOW TO CHOOSE GUTTER MATERIALS?
The best 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 lowest to highest cost:
VINYL & PLASTIC GUTTERS
Vinyl and plastic are affordable options that hold up well in most scenarios, besides extremely cold climates, where they can wear down. 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 reasonably priced options are both stylish and durable. Both materials come in a variety of colors too. They are fairly light and are not difficult to install. Galvanized metals (coated with zinc to protect them) fend off 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 Elk Grove who decide on 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 options above offer both of these options below:
SECTIONAL OR SEAMLESS GUTTERS
Sectional gutters – These types of rain gutters are made in smaller sections, so they are easy to install. In fact, most homeowners choose to install their own sectional gutters. This type is the less expensive choice, and they have more seams, which means more areas where leaks can occur.
Seamless gutters – Seamless gutters should be installed by a contractor because they need 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 almost any style of home. They are 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 traditionally made of copper and steel, and they recommended for rounded roofs, popular before 1950, so they provide homes a regal, established appearance. However, modern styles made out of vinyl and plastic offer the best of both worlds, because they are lightweight and highly functional. Half-Round rain gutters are harder to install, but they are easier to clean, when it’s time for gutter cleaning.
DOES CLIMATE AFFECT GUTTERS?
The climate of the city you live in will determine a lot about which gutters you should purchase. As we already mentioned, some types of materials don’t hold up in extremely 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 withstand?
Professional gutter companies in Elk Grove are going to take several factors into consideration to determine the size and type of rain gutters that will work the best for your home.
WHAT IS THE FORMULA?
Luckily, the formula professional 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 statistic can be found 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 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 basic roofs. But, you have 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 less sloped roof. Determining your roof-pitch factor will help to determine how much rainfall will actually be collected, regardless of the rainfall statistics.
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 forming on your roof. If it snows often in your state, you need to seek professional guidance about the type of gutters that best prevent ice dams from forming, which might severely damage your home’s roof.
Of course, the final question is arguably the most important …
HOW TO INSTALL GUTTERS?
You also have to ask yourself if you’re willing to do the work on your own, or if you want to pay a professional to install your new gutters. Professional installation will ensure efficiency, instead of doing it yourself.
Most homeowners should consider paying a little extra for labor, to ensure that the installation will be done correctly. Another bonus of hiring Elk Grove Gutter Service to install the gutters is that we can help you answer all your questions about new gutters so that you are able to find the best style and type.