Which Gutters Are Right For Your Home?
The number one thing to ask yourself when you are shopping for new gutters is, “Why?” This pivotal question will help to answer most of the 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 impact the exterior style of your home, enhancing its look in a more subtle way than painting or new landscaping.
A New Home – Designing a new home comes with a constant stream of choices about appearance and functionality. Gutters are no exception. Choosing the gutters that go on your home is important because they should last approximately 20 years or more.
A Renovation – If your roof is damaged, the gutters may need to be replaced. Or, they could simply be getting too old and need to be replaced.
You obviously know why you are replacing the gutters, but the reason usually has underlying motivations…
You want to sell your home.
You want to renovate but not spend a lot of money.
Your landscaping is getting ruined by ineffective gutters.
Determining your “Why” will give you direction while you are shopping. You’ll know if certain features are must-haves or if you can go with a more affordable product.
Here are the major questions you’ll want to consider when purchasing new gutters.
HOW TO CHOOSE GUTTER MATERIALS?
The fun part of choosing new gutters is picking out the materials. Gutters will blend in or stand out against your home exterior, depending on your 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 cases, besides cold climates, where they can become brittle. Vinyl and plastic gutters are acceptable in nearly every region of the country, and they are available in a wide range of colors.
METAL & ALUMINUM GUTTERS
These mid-priced options are attractive and durable. Both materials are available in a variety of colors as well. They are fairly light and are not hard to install. Galvanized metals (coated with zinc to protect them) will withstand rust and corrosion even better.
COPPER & STAINLESS STEEL GUTTERS
Of all the rain gutter materials, copper and stainless steel cost the most, but are the most stylish as well. Homeowners in Tinley Park who choose 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 offer both of these options below:
SECTIONAL OR SEAMLESS GUTTERS
Sectional gutters – These gutters are made in smaller sections, so they are easy to install. In fact, many homeowners decide to install their own sectional gutters. This type is the less expensive choice, and they have more seams, which means more areas where leaks are going to occur.
Seamless gutters – Seamless gutters should be installed by a contractor because they require special equipment. They’re more expensive to purchase and install, but less likely to leak 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 are better for angled roofs, which are far more common. This one of the reasons for their popularity. Plus, they are easy to install. Most homeowners are capable enough to install their own K-Style gutters by themselves.
Half-Round – Half-Round gutters are traditionally made of copper and steel, and they are best for rounded roofs, popular before 1950, so they give homes a regal, classic curb appeal. However, more modern styles made from vinyl and plastic provide the best of both worlds, being both lightweight and functional. Half-Round gutters are a lot harder to install, but they are easier to clean, when it’s time for gutter cleaning.
DOES CLIMATE AFFECT GUTTERS?
The climate of your region may dictate a lot about the gutters you should purchase. Like we mentioned, some types of materials will not hold up in cold climates.
The most important climate factor is how much work the gutters will have to do. In other words, how much water are your gutters going to need to handle?
Professional gutter contractors in Tinley Park can take many factors into consideration to determine the size and the type of rain gutters that are going to work the best for your home.
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 online 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 maximum 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. But, you want to factor in all the surfaces of multi-faceted roofs.
Roof-Pitch Factor – A roof that is steep will collect more wind-blown rain than a less sloped roof. Determining your roof-pitch factor is going to help to determine how much rainfall will actually be collected, regardless of the average rainfall statistics.
DOES IT SNOW WHERE YOU LIVE?
Snowfall is 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 need to seek professional guidance about the type of gutters that best prevent ice dams, which can severely damage your home’s roof.
Of course, the final question is possibly 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 will ensure maximum efficiency, versus doing it yourself.
Most homeowners are better off paying a little extra for professional labor, to ensure that the installation will be done right. An added bonus of hiring ACE Gutter Cleaning to install your new gutters is that we can help you answer all your questions about new gutters so that you find the best style and type.