Which Gutters Are Right For Your Home?
The number one thing to consider when you are planning to install new gutters is, “Why?” This important question will help to answer many of the following questions you’ll have before purchasing your final selection.
In our experience as a local gutter service, here are just three reasons homeowners might be shopping for new rain gutters:
An Upgrade – Installing new rain gutters can drastically affect the curb appeal of your house, increasing its look in a subtler way than painting or landscaping.
A New Home – Designing a home comes with a lot of of choices about appearance and functionality. Gutters are no exception. Choosing the gutters that go on your home is important because they should last at least 15 years.
A Renovation – If your home’s roof has experienced damage, the gutters may need to be replaced, too. Or, they could just be deteriorating and need to be replaced with new ones.
You know why you are installing new gutters, but the reason typically has underlying motivations…
You want to sell your house.
You want to renovate but not spend a lot of money.
Your landscaping is being damaged by ineffective gutters.
Determining your “Why” will give you direction while you are shopping. You’ll know which features are worth spending your money on or if you can go with a more affordable product.
Here are the questions you’ll want to consider when purchasing new gutters.
HOW TO CHOOSE GUTTER MATERIALS?
The fun part of purchasing new rain gutters is picking out the style. Gutters will blend in or stand out against your home exterior, depending on your preference.
These are the options for materials, in order of lowest to highest cost:
VINYL & PLASTIC GUTTERS
Vinyl and plastic are affordable options that are durable in most cases, besides cold climates, where they will become brittle. Vinyl and plastic gutters are efficient in almost every region of the country, and they come in a wide range of colors.
METAL & ALUMINUM GUTTERS
These reasonably priced materials are both attractive and durable. Both of these materials come in a wide range of colors as well. They are fairly lightweight and are easy to install. Galvanized metals (coated with zinc to protect them) will resist rust and corrosion even better.
COPPER & STAINLESS STEEL GUTTERS
Of all the gutter materials available, copper and stainless steel are the most expensive, but are the most eye-catching as well. Homeowners in Wilmington who purchase these options are searching for an elegant touch, and that’s what they’ll get!
WHAT ARE IMPORTANT GUTTER FEATURES?
Almost all of the gutter types above offer both of these options:
SECTIONAL OR SEAMLESS GUTTERS
Sectional gutters – These rain gutters come in smaller sections, so they are easier to install. In fact, most homeowners decide 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 sections where leaks can occur.
Seamless gutters – Seamless gutters should be installed by a contractor because they need special tools. They are more expensive to purchase 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 virtually 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 proficient enough to install their own K-Style gutters by themselves.
Half-Round – Half-Round gutters are usually made of copper and steel, and they complement rounded roofs, popular prior to 1950, so they give homes a regal, classic curb appeal. However, modern styles made out of vinyl and plastic offer the best of both worlds, because they are both lightweight and highly functional. Half-Round gutters are much harder to install, but they are easier to clean out, when it’s time for gutter cleaning.
DOES CLIMATE AFFECT GUTTERS?
The climate of your region may determine a lot about the gutters you should purchase. As we mentioned, some types of materials will not hold up in extremely cold climates.
The most important climate factor to think about is how much work the gutters will have to do. In other words, how much rain or water are the gutters going to need to withstand?
Professional gutter companies in Wilmington can take a lot of factors into account to determine the size and the type of gutters that are going to work best for your roof.
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 the city you live in. 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 standard roofs. But, you will have to factor in 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 will help you calculate how much rainfall will be collected, regardless of the rainfall statistics found online.
DOES IT SNOW WHERE YOU LIVE?
Snowfall will be included in average precipitation calculations, but you definitely want to consider the potential for ice dams forming on your roof. If it snows often in your region, you need to seek professional guidance about the type of gutters that best prevent ice dams from forming, which can severely damage your home’s 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 on your own, or if you are going to hire a professional to install your new gutters. Professional installation will ensure maximum efficiency, versus doing it yourself.
Most homeowners should consider paying a little extra for professional labor, knowing that the installation will be done right. Another bonus of hiring Wilmington Gutter Solutions to install your new gutters is that we are able to help you answer all your questions about gutters so that you are able to find the perfect style and type.