Which Gutters Are Right For Your Home?
The number one thing to consider when you are purchasing new gutters is, “Why?” This pivotal question will help to answer many of the questions you’ll have before making your final selection.
In our experience as a local gutter service, here are just three reasons homeowners will be shopping for new rain gutters:
An Upgrade – Installing new rain gutters can really affect the exterior style of your home, enhancing its look in a more subtle way than painting or new landscaping.
A New Home – Building a home comes with a lot of of decisions about appearance and functionality. Gutters included. Choosing the first gutters that go on your home is important because they will need to last approximately 15-20 years.
A Renovation – If your roof is damaged, the gutters may need to be replaced, too. Or, they may just be getting too old and need to be replaced with new ones.
You know why you are replacing the gutters, but the reason typically has underlying motivations…
You want to sell your home.
You want to renovate but not spend a lot of money.
Your landscaping is being damaged by ineffective gutters.
Determining your “Why” will provide direction while you are shopping for new gutters. You’ll know what features are worth spending your money on or if you can choose 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 picking out the style. Gutters will 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 affordable choices that hold up well in most cases, except in cold climates, where they can wear down. Vinyl and plastic gutters are sufficient in almost every region of the country, and they come in a wide variety of colors.
METAL & ALUMINUM GUTTERS
These mid-priced options are both stylish and durable. Both materials come in a variety of colors too. They are fairly light and are not hard to install. Galvanized metals (coated with zinc to protect them) fend off rust and corrosion even better.
COPPER & STAINLESS STEEL GUTTERS
Of all the rain gutter materials, copper and stainless steel are the most expensive, but are the most attractive as well. Homeowners in Santa Rosa who decide on these options are searching for an elegant touch, and that’s exactly what they’ll get!
WHAT ARE IMPORTANT GUTTER FEATURES?
Most of the gutter types above will offer both of these options below:
SECTIONAL OR SEAMLESS GUTTERS
Sectional gutters – These types of rain gutters come 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 there are more sections where leaks are going to occur.
Seamless gutters – Seamless gutters should be installed by a professional contractor because they need specialized tools. They’re more expensive to purchase and to 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 great with every style of home. They are better for angled roofs, which are more common. This speaks to 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 are best for rounded roofs, popular prior to 1950, so they give homes a regal, classic curb appeal. However, more modern styles made out of vinyl and plastic offer the best of both worlds, being lightweight and functional. Half-Round rain gutters are much harder to install, but 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 install. As we mentioned, certain materials don’t hold up well in extremely cold climates.
The single most important climate factor to think about is how much work the gutters will have to do. Basically, how much water are your gutters going to have to handle?
Professional gutter installers in Santa Rosa will take several factors into account to get a good idea of the size and type of rain gutters that are going to work best for your home.
WHAT IS THE FORMULA?
Luckily, the formula professional gutter 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 find 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 basic roofs. However, you have 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 you calculate how much rainfall will be collected, regardless of the average rainfall statistics.
DOES IT SNOW WHERE YOU LIVE?
Snowfall is going to be factored into average precipitation calculations, but you definitely want to consider the potential for ice dams. If it snows often in your state, you should seek professional guidance about the type of gutters that best prevent ice dams from forming, which can 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 on your own, or if you are going to pay a professional to install your gutters. Professional installation ensures efficiency, compared to doing it yourself.
Most homeowners are better off paying a little extra for professional labor, to ensure that the installation will be done correctly. Another bonus of hiring Santa Rosa Gutter Service to install your new gutters is that we can help you answer all your questions about gutters so that you find the perfect style and type.