Which Gutters are Right for Your Home?

The very first thing to consider when you are planning to install new gutters is, “Why?” This question will help to answer many of the following questions you’ll have before purchasing your ultimate selection.

In our experience as a local gutter service, here are three reasons homeowners will be shopping for new rain gutters:

An Upgrade – Switching out the gutters can drastically impact the appearance of your home, enhancing its look in a more subtle way than painting or new landscaping.

A New Home – Building a new home comes with a lot of of decisions about both appearance and functionality. Rain gutters are one of them. Choosing the first gutters that go on your house is important because they will need to last approximately 15-20 years or more.

A Renovation – If your home’s roof has had damage, the gutters may have to be replaced, too. Or, they might just be getting too old and need to be replaced.

You obviously know why you are replacing the gutters on your home, but the reason typically has underlying motivations…

You want to sell your home.

You want to renovate without spending too much money.

Your landscaping is getting damaged by ineffective gutters.

Determining your “Why” will often 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 less expensive 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 choosing the materials. Gutters will blend in or stand out against your house, depending on your personal preference.

These are the choices you will have, in order of lowest to highest cost:

VINYL & PLASTIC GUTTERS

Vinyl and plastic are affordable options that are durable in most cases, except in extremely cold climates, where they will deteriorate. Vinyl and plastic gutters are efficient in nearly every region of the country, and they come in a wide variety of colors.

METAL & ALUMINUM GUTTERS

These reasonably priced materials are both stylish and durable. Both materials come in a variety of colors too. They are fairly lightweight and not difficult to install. Galvanized metals (coated with zinc to protect them) will withstand 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 stylish as well. Homeowners in Columbia who choose these options are looking for an elegant touch, and that’s just what they’ll get!

WHAT ARE IMPORTANT GUTTER FEATURES?

Most of the gutter options above offer these options below:

SECTIONAL OR SEAMLESS GUTTERS

Sectional gutters – These rain gutters are made in smaller sections, so they are easier to install. In fact, homeowners choose to install their own sectional gutters on their own. This type is the more affordable choice, and they have more seams, which means there are more areas where leaks can occur.

Seamless gutters – Seamless gutters should be installed by a local contractor because they need specialized equipment. They’re more expensive to buy and to install, but they are 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 almost any style of home. They’re better for angled roofs, which are more common. This one of the reasons for 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 traditionally made of copper and steel, and they are best for rounded roofs, popular before 1950, so they give homes a luxurious, established appearance. However, modern styles made out of vinyl and plastic offer the best of both worlds, because they are lightweight and highly functional. Half-Round rain gutters are harder to install, but much easier to clean, when it’s time for gutter cleaning.

DOES CLIMATE AFFECT GUTTERS?

The climate of your region will dictate a lot about which gutters you should purchase. Like we already mentioned, some materials will not hold up in extremely cold climates.

The most important climate factor is how much work the gutters will have to do. Essentially, how much water are the gutters going to have to withstand?

Professional gutter companies in Columbia can take a lot of factors into account to determine the size and type of rain gutters that are going to work the best for your roof.

WHAT IS THE FORMULA?

Luckily, the formula professional roofing 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 can be found online on the National Weather Service or the U.S. Weather Bureau website. You should also look into the maximum rainfall intensity for the city you live in. This is the maximum amount of rain that occurs within a 5-minute span.

Roof Square Footage – Square footage is a simple length times width calculation for residential roofs. However, you need 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. Knowing your roof-pitch factor is going to help you calculate how much rainfall will be collected, regardless of the average rainfall statistics found online.

DOES IT SNOW WHERE YOU LIVE?

Snowfall is going to be included in precipitation calculations, but you definitely want to consider the potential for ice dams forming on your roof. If it snows regularly in your state, you need to seek professional guidance about the type of gutters that best prevent ice dams from forming, which might severely damage your home’s roof.

Of course, the last question is probably the most important …

HOW TO INSTALL GUTTERS?

You also need to ask yourself if you’re willing to do the work yourself, or if you want to enlist the services of a professional to install your new gutters. Professional installation will ensure efficiency, versus doing it yourself.

Most homeowners are better off paying a little extra for professional labor, knowing that the installation will be done correctly. Another bonus of hiring WeClean Columbia Gutters to install the new gutters is that we will help you answer all of your questions about new gutters so that you are able to find the best style and type.