Which Gutters are Right for Your Home?
The number one thing to ask yourself when you are shopping for new gutters is, “Why?” This question will help to answer many of 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 in the market for new rain gutters:
An Upgrade – Installing new rain gutters can significantly affect the exterior style of your home, enhancing its look in a subtler way than painting or landscaping.
A New House – Building a new home comes with a lot of of choices about both appearance and functionality. Rain gutters are no exception. Choosing the gutters that go on your house is important because they will need to last approximately 20 years or more.
A Renovation – If the roof on your home has experienced damage, the gutters might need to be replaced. Or, they may simply be wearing down and need to be replaced.
You know why you are replacing the gutters on your home, but the reason often 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 often give you direction while you are shopping. You’ll know which features are important or if you can go with a less expensive product.
Here are the major questions you’ll have when purchasing new gutters.
HOW TO CHOOSE GUTTER MATERIALS?
The fun part about installing new rain gutters is choosing the style. Gutters can blend in or stand out against your house, depending on your preference.
These are the options you will have, in order of lowest to highest cost:
VINYL & PLASTIC GUTTERS
Vinyl and plastic are economical choices that hold up well in most scenarios, besides cold climates, where they can deteriorate. Vinyl and plastic gutters are sufficient in most regions of the country, and they come in a wide variety of colors.
METAL & ALUMINUM GUTTERS
These reasonably priced options are stylish and durable. Both materials are available in a variety of colors as well. They are fairly lightweight and are easy to install. Galvanized metals (coated with zinc to protect them) withstand 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 stylish as well. Homeowners in Burnsville who decide on these options are looking for an elegant touch, and that’s just what they’ll get!
WHAT ARE IMPORTANT GUTTER FEATURES?
Almost all of the gutter options above offer both of these options below:
SECTIONAL OR SEAMLESS GUTTERS
Sectional gutters – These types of rain gutters come in smaller sections, so they are easier to install. In fact, many homeowners choose to install their own sectional gutters. This type is the more affordable choice, and they are made with more seams, which means there are more sections where leaks are going to occur.
Seamless gutters – Seamless gutters need to be installed by a local contractor because they need special equipment. They’re more expensive to buy 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 excellent with almost any style of home. They are better for angled roofs, which are far more common. This attributes to their popularity. Plus, they are easy to install. Many homeowners are capable enough to install their own K-Style gutters.
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, established appearance. However, more modern styles made out of vinyl and plastic offer the best of both worlds, being both lightweight and functional. Half-Round rain gutters are harder to install, but easier to clean, when it’s time for gutter cleaning.
DOES CLIMATE AFFECT GUTTERS?
The climate of the region you live in may determine a lot about the gutters you should install. As we already mentioned, certain types of materials don’t hold up in extremely cold climates.
The single most important climate factor is how much work the gutters will need to do. In other words, how much water are your gutters going to need to handle?
Professional gutter contractors in Burnsville 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 the best for your house.
WHAT IS THE FORMULA?
Luckily, the formula professional roofing 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 can be found online on the National Weather Service or the U.S. Weather Bureau website. You can also look into the maximum rainfall intensity for your area. This is the max amount of rain that will occur within a 5-minute span.
Roof Square Footage – Square footage is a simple length times width calculation for residential roofs. However, 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 roof that is less sloped. Knowing your roof-pitch factor will help to calculate how much rainfall will actually be collected, regardless of the average rainfall statistics found online.
DOES IT SNOW WHERE YOU LIVE?
Snowfall will be factored into average precipitation calculations, but you definitely want to consider the potential for ice dams forming on your roof. If it snows a lot in your city, you need to seek professional guidance concerning the type of rain gutters that help to prevent ice dams, which can really damage your home’s roof.
Of course, the final question is probably 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 want to hire a professional to install your new gutters. Professional installation will ensure efficiency, compared to doing it yourself.
Most homeowners should consider paying a little extra for professional labor, knowing that the job will be done right. Another bonus of hiring Burnsville Gutter Cleaning to install your gutters is that we will help you answer all your questions about gutters so that you find the perfect style and type.