Which Gutters Are Right For Your Home?
The number one thing to consider when you are purchasing new gutters is, “Why?” This important question will help to answer the subsequent questions you’ll have before purchasing your ultimate selection.
In our experience as a local gutter service, here are only three reasons homeowners might be shopping for new rain gutters:
An Upgrade – Installing new gutters can significantly impact the exterior style of your home, increasing its look in a more subtle way than painting or new landscaping.
A New Home – Designing a new home comes with a lot of decisions about both appearance and functionality. Gutters included. Choosing the first gutters that go on your house is important because they will need to last approximately 15 years.
A Renovation – If the roof on your home been damaged, the gutters might have to be replaced. Or, they might just be aging and need to be replaced.
You know why you are replacing the gutters, but the reason typically has underlying motivations…
You want to sell your home.
You want to renovate but not spend a lot of money.
Your landscaping is getting damaged by ineffective gutters.
Determining your “Why” will give you direction while you are shopping. You’ll know which features are must-haves or if you can go with a more affordable product.
Here are the questions you’ll have when purchasing new gutters.
HOW TO CHOOSE GUTTER MATERIALS?
The fun part of purchasing new rain gutters is picking out the materials. Gutters can blend in or stand out against your house, depending on your preference.
These are the options for materials, in order of cost:
VINYL & PLASTIC GUTTERS
Vinyl and plastic are economical choices that hold up well in most scenarios, besides cold climates, where they will become brittle. 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 mid-priced materials are stylish and durable. Both materials come in a wide range of colors as well. They are fairly light and are easy to install. Galvanized metals (coated with zinc to protect them) are able to resist 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 Livonia who purchase these materials 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 will offer both of these options:
SECTIONAL OR SEAMLESS GUTTERS
Sectional gutters – These types of gutters are made in smaller sections, so they are easy to install. In fact, most homeowners choose to install their own sectional gutters on their own. This type is the less expensive choice, and they are made with more seams, which means more areas where leaks can occur.
Seamless gutters – Seamless gutters need to be installed by a local contractor because they require specialized equipment. They’re 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 popular because they look great with every style of home. They’re better for angled roofs, which are far more common. This attributes to their popularity. In addition, they are not hard 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 complement rounded roofs, popular before 1950, so they provide homes a luxurious, established curb appeal. However, more modern styles made from vinyl and plastic offer the best of both worlds, because they are lightweight and highly functional. Half-Round 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 the region you live in may dictate a lot about the gutters you can have. As we mentioned, certain materials don’t hold up well in extremely cold climates.
The single most important climate factor is how much work the gutters will need to do. Essentially, how much rain or water are the gutters going to need to handle?
Professional gutter companies in Livonia can take several factors into account to determine the size and the type of gutters that will work best for your roof.
WHAT IS THE FORMULA?
Luckily, the formula professional home exterior 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 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 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. 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 is going to help you determine how much rainfall will be collected, regardless of the rainfall statistics.
DOES IT SNOW WHERE YOU LIVE?
Snowfall will be factored into average precipitation calculations, but you also want to consider the potential for ice dams forming on your roof. If it snows often in your region, you should seek professional guidance about the type of gutters that help to prevent ice dams from forming, which could severely damage your roof.
Of course, the final question is probably 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 are going to pay a professional to install your gutters. Professional installation ensures efficiency, instead of doing it yourself.
Most homeowners are better off paying a little extra for professional labor, to ensure that the installation will be done correctly. An added bonus of hiring Livonia Gutters, Inc. to install your gutters is that we are able to help you answer all of your questions about new gutters so that you find the perfect style and type.