Which Gutters Are Right For Your Home?
The number one thing to consider when you are planning to install new gutters is, “Why?” This question will help to answer most of the subsequent questions you’ll have before purchasing your selection.
In our experience as a local gutter service, here are only three reasons homeowners will be shopping for new gutters:
An Upgrade – Switching out the gutters can drastically impact the curb appeal of your home, enhancing its look in a subtler way than painting or landscaping.
A New Home – Building a new home comes with a constant stream of choices about appearance and functionality. Rain gutters are no exception. Choosing the first gutters that go on your house is important because they will need to last approximately 20 years.
A Renovation – If your home’s roof has suffered damage, the gutters might need to be replaced, too. Or, they might just be wearing down and need to be replaced.
You know why you are installing new rain gutters on your home, but the reason often has underlying motivations…
You want to sell your home.
You want to renovate without spending a lot of money.
Your landscaping is getting ruined by ineffective gutters.
Figuring out your “Why” will help to give you direction while you are shopping. You’ll know if certain features are important or if you can choose a more affordable product.
Here are the questions you’ll have when it’s time to install new gutters.
HOW TO CHOOSE GUTTER MATERIALS?
The best part of purchasing new gutters is picking out the style. Gutters will blend in or stand out against your house, depending on your preference.
These are the choices for materials, in order of cost:
VINYL & PLASTIC GUTTERS
Vinyl and plastic are affordable options that are durable in most cases, besides cold climates, where they will deteriorate. Vinyl and plastic gutters are acceptable in almost every region of the country, and they are available in a wide range of colors.
METAL & ALUMINUM GUTTERS
These mid-priced options are both stylish and durable. Both of these materials come in a wide range of colors as well. They are fairly lightweight and are not difficult to install. Galvanized metals (coated with zinc to protect them) will fend off 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 Marlborough who purchase these materials are looking for an elegant touch, and that’s exactly what they’ll get!
WHAT ARE IMPORTANT GUTTER FEATURES?
Almost all of the gutter types above offer these options:
SECTIONAL OR SEAMLESS GUTTERS
Sectional gutters – These types of rain gutters come 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 more areas where leaks can occur.
Seamless gutters – Seamless gutters will need to be installed by a professional contractor because they need specialized equipment. 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 popular because they look excellent with every style of home. They’re better for angled roofs, which are far more common. This one of the reasons for their popularity. And, they are not hard to install. Many homeowners are capable enough to install their own K-Style gutters.
Half-Round – Half-Round gutters are usually made of copper and steel, and they complement rounded roofs, popular before 1950, so they provide homes a regal, classic appearance. However, more modern styles made out of vinyl and plastic provide the best of both worlds, because they are both lightweight and functional. Half-Round rain gutters are much harder to install, but easier to clean out, when the time comes for gutter cleaning.
DOES CLIMATE AFFECT GUTTERS?
The climate of the region you live in will dictate a lot about which gutters you can have. Like we mentioned, some types of materials don’t hold up well in extremely cold climates.
The single most important climate factor is how much work the gutters will need to do. Essentially, how much water are your gutters going to have to handle?
Professional gutter contractors in Marlborough are going to take several factors into consideration to get a good idea of the size and the type of gutters that will work the best for your roof.
WHAT IS THE FORMULA?
Luckily, the formula professional home exterior 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 statistic can be found 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 will occur within a 5-minute span.
Roof Square Footage – Square footage is a standard length times width calculation for basic roofs. But, you will need to figure 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 to determine how much rainfall will actually be collected, regardless of the average rainfall statistics found online.
DOES IT SNOW WHERE YOU LIVE?
Snowfall will be included in precipitation calculations, but you also want to consider the potential for ice dams forming on your roof. If it snows often in your state, you need to seek professional guidance about the type of rain gutters that best prevent ice dams, which could really 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 on your own, or if you want to enlist the services of 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 labor, to ensure that the job will be done right. An added bonus of hiring MCC Gutter Cleaning to install your new gutters is that we will help you answer all your questions about gutters so that you find the best style and type.