Which Gutters Are Right For Your Home?
The first thing to ask yourself when you are shopping for new gutters is, “Why?” This question will help you answer the following questions you’ll have before purchasing your final selection.
In our experience as a local gutter service, here are three reasons homeowners might be shopping for new rain gutters:
An Upgrade – Switching out the rain gutters can drastically affect the appearance of your house, improving 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 choices about appearance and functionality. Rain gutters are one of them. Choosing the gutters that go on your home is important because they should last approximately 15-20 years.
A Renovation – If your roof has had damage, the gutters may have to be replaced. Or, they might simply be wearing down and need to be replaced with new ones.
You know why you are installing new gutters on your home, but the reason typically has underlying motivations…
You want to sell your house.
You want to renovate without spending a lot of money.
Your landscaping is getting damaged by ineffective gutters.
Determining your “Why” will help to give you direction while you are shopping for new gutters. You’ll know which features are must-haves or if you can go with a more affordable product.
Here are the major questions you’ll have when it’s time to purchase new gutters.
HOW TO CHOOSE GUTTER MATERIALS?
The best part about choosing new gutters is choosing the style. Gutters will 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 options that are durable in most scenarios, other than cold climates, where they will deteriorate. Vinyl and plastic gutters are efficient in nearly every region of the country, and they are available in a wide variety of colors.
METAL & ALUMINUM GUTTERS
These reasonably priced materials are stylish and durable. Both materials are available in a variety of colors too. They are fairly lightweight and are not hard to install. Galvanized metals (coated with zinc to protect them) 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 eye-catching as well. Homeowners in Farmington Hills who decide on these materials are looking for an elegant touch, and that’s what they’ll get!
WHAT ARE IMPORTANT GUTTER FEATURES?
Almost all of the gutter options above will offer these options below:
SECTIONAL OR SEAMLESS GUTTERS
Sectional gutters – These rain gutters are made in smaller sections, so they are easy to install. In fact, homeowners choose to install their own sectional gutters. 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 should be installed by a contractor because they need specialized tools. They are more expensive to purchase and to install, but 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 virtually any style of home. They’re better for angled roofs, which are more common. This attributes to their popularity. In addition, they are easy to install. Many homeowners are proficient enough to install their own K-Style gutters.
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 regal, classic appearance. However, modern styles made from vinyl and plastic offer the best of both worlds, because they are lightweight and functional. Half-Round gutters are a lot harder to install, but easier to clean out, when the time comes for gutter cleaning.
DOES CLIMATE AFFECT GUTTERS?
The climate of the city you live in may determine a lot about which gutters you should purchase. Like we already mentioned, some types of materials don’t hold up well in cold climates.
The most important climate factor to consider is how much work the gutters will have to do. Basically, how much water are the gutters going to have to withstand?
Professional gutter installers in Farmington Hills can take many factors into account to determine the size and the type of rain gutters that are going to work the best for your house.
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 statistic is available on the National Weather Service or the U.S. Weather Bureau website. You should also check 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 residential 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. Determining your roof-pitch factor is going to help you estimate how much rainfall will actually be collected, regardless of the average rainfall statistics.
DOES IT SNOW WHERE YOU LIVE?
Snowfall is going to be included in precipitation calculations, but you also want to be aware of the potential for ice dams. If it snows often in your city, you should seek professional guidance concerning the type of gutters that help to prevent ice dams from forming, which can really 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 willing to do the work yourself, or if you are going to pay a professional to install your new gutters. Professional installation ensures maximum efficiency, versus doing it yourself.
Most homeowners are better off paying a little extra for professional labor, knowing that the job will be done right. An added bonus of hiring Farmington Hills Gutter Service to install your gutters is that we can help you answer all of your questions about new gutters so that you find the best style and type.