Which Gutters are Right for Your Home?
The number one thing to ask yourself when you are purchasing new gutters is, “Why?” This pivotal question will help you answer many of the following questions you’ll have before purchasing your 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 really affect the appearance of your home, increasing its look in a subtler way than painting or new landscaping.
A New Home – Designing a home comes with a lot of of decisions about both appearance and functionality. Gutters are no exception. Deciding on the first gutters that go on your home is important because they should last at least 20 years or more.
A Renovation – If the roof on your home has experienced damage, the gutters might have to be replaced. Or, they may just be getting too old and need to be replaced.
You know why you are installing new rain gutters on your home, but the reason typically has underlying motivations…
You want to sell your house.
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 for new gutters. You’ll know which features are worth spending 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 about choosing new rain gutters is picking out the style. Gutters will blend in or stand out against your home, depending on your personal preference.
These are the choices for materials, in order of lowest to highest cost:
VINYL & PLASTIC GUTTERS
Vinyl and plastic are economical options that hold up well in most scenarios, except in extremely cold climates, where they can wear down. Vinyl and plastic gutters are sufficient in most regions of the country, and they come in a wide range of colors.
METAL & ALUMINUM GUTTERS
These mid-priced options are both attractive and durable. Both materials are available in a wide range of colors too. They are fairly light and are easy to install. Galvanized metals (coated with zinc to protect them) are able to withstand 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 attractive as well. Homeowners in Spokane who purchase these materials are searching 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:
SECTIONAL OR SEAMLESS GUTTERS
Sectional gutters – These types of rain gutters are made in smaller sections, so they are easier to install. In fact, homeowners decide to install their own sectional gutters. This type is the more affordable choice, and they have more seams, which means more areas where leaks are going to occur.
Seamless gutters – Seamless gutters will need to be installed by a professional contractor because they need special tools. They’re more expensive to buy and install, but 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 excellent with every style of home. They’re better for angled roofs, which are more common. This one of the reasons for their popularity. And, 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 luxurious, established appearance. However, more modern styles made from vinyl and plastic provide the best of both worlds, being both lightweight and functional. Half-Round rain gutters are a lot harder to install, but much easier to clean out, when the time comes for gutter cleaning.
DOES CLIMATE AFFECT GUTTERS?
The climate of your region will dictate a lot about which gutters you can have. Like we already mentioned, certain types of materials will not hold up well in cold climates.
The most important climate factor to consider is how much work the gutters will need to do. Basically, how much water are your gutters going to have to withstand?
Professional gutter contractors in Spokane are going to take several factors into consideration to determine the size and type of rain gutters that will work best for your roof.
WHAT IS THE FORMULA?
Luckily, the formula professional 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 weather statistic is available on the National Weather Service or the U.S. Weather Bureau website. You can also check the maximum rainfall intensity for your area. This is the maximum amount of rain that can happen within a 5-minute span.
Roof Square Footage – Square footage is a standard length times width calculation for standard roofs. However, you 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 less sloped roof. Figuring out your roof-pitch factor is going to help to estimate how much rainfall will actually be collected, regardless of the rainfall statistics found online.
DOES IT SNOW WHERE YOU LIVE?
Snowfall will be included in precipitation calculations, but you also want to be aware of the potential for ice dams. If it snows regularly in your state, you need to seek professional guidance concerning the type of rain gutters that best 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 need to ask yourself if you’re going to try to do the work yourself, 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 job will be done correctly. An added bonus of hiring Spokane Gutters Plus to install the new gutters is that we can help you answer all of your questions about new gutters so that you are able to find the best style and type for your home.