Which Gutters Are Right For Your Home?
The number one thing to ask yourself 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 making 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 gutters can really affect the exterior style of your house, enhancing 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 decisions about appearance and functionality. Rain gutters are no exception. Choosing the first gutters that go on your home is important because they will need to last at least 15-20 years or more.
A Renovation – If your home’s roof is damaged, the gutters may have to be replaced. Or, they might just be deteriorating and need to be replaced.
You obviously know why you are installing new 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 being ruined by ineffective gutters.
Determining your “Why” will often give you direction while you are shopping for new gutters. You’ll know if certain features are important or if you can choose 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 about choosing new rain gutters is picking out the materials. Gutters can blend in or stand out against your house, depending on your personal preference.
These are the options for materials, in order of lowest to highest cost:
VINYL & PLASTIC GUTTERS
Vinyl and plastic are economical materials that hold up well in most scenarios, other than cold climates, where they can deteriorate. Vinyl and plastic gutters are sufficient in most regions of the country, and they are available in a wide variety of colors.
METAL & ALUMINUM GUTTERS
These reasonably priced options are both stylish and durable. Both of these materials come in a wide range of colors too. They are fairly lightweight and are not hard 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 cost the most, but are the most eye-catching as well. Homeowners in Tuscaloosa who choose these materials are looking for an elegant touch, and that’s just what they’ll get!
WHAT ARE IMPORTANT GUTTER FEATURES?
Most of the gutter materials above offer these options:
SECTIONAL OR SEAMLESS GUTTERS
Sectional gutters – These types of gutters come in smaller sections, so they’re easier to install. In fact, most homeowners decide to install their own sectional gutters. 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 contractor because they require special tools. They’re more expensive to buy and to install, but less likely to leak 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 one of the reasons for their popularity. In addition, they are not hard to install. Many homeowners are proficient enough to install their own K-Style gutters.
Half-Round – Half-Round gutters are traditionally made of copper and steel, and they recommended for rounded roofs, popular before 1950, so they provide homes a luxurious, established appearance. However, more modern styles made out of vinyl and plastic offer the best of both worlds, being both lightweight and highly functional. Half-Round rain gutters are a lot harder to install, but they are easier to clean, when the time comes for gutter cleaning.
DOES CLIMATE AFFECT GUTTERS?
The climate of your region may dictate a lot about the gutters you should install. Like 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. Essentially, how much water are your gutters going to have to withstand?
Professional gutter companies in Tuscaloosa are going to take several factors into account to get a good idea of the size and type of rain gutters that are going to work the best for your home.
WHAT IS THE FORMULA?
Luckily, the formula professional 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 can also look into 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 simple length times width calculation for basic roofs. But, you want 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 you calculate how much rainfall will actually be collected, regardless of the rainfall statistics.
DOES IT SNOW WHERE YOU LIVE?
Snowfall is factored into precipitation calculations, but you definitely want to consider the potential for ice dams forming on your roof. If it snows often in your city, you should seek professional guidance about the type of gutters that best prevent ice dams, which might severely damage your home’s roof.
Of course, the last question is arguably the most important …
HOW TO INSTALL GUTTERS?
You also need to ask yourself if you’re willing to try to do the work on your own, or if you are going to enlist the services of a professional to install your new gutters. Professional installation ensures maximum efficiency, versus doing it yourself.
Most homeowners should consider paying a little extra for professional labor, knowing that the job will be done right. An added bonus of hiring Tuscaloosa Gutter Service to install the gutters is that we will help you answer all your questions about new gutters so that you are able to find the best style and type for your home.