Which Gutters are Right for Your Home?

The very first thing to ask yourself when you are shopping for new gutters is, “Why?” This important question will help to answer the following 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 gutters:

An Upgrade – Installing new gutters can really impact the curb appeal of your house, increasing its look in a more subtle way than painting or landscaping.

A New Home – Designing a home comes with a constant stream of decisions about both appearance and functionality. Gutters included. Choosing the first gutters that go on your home is important because they should last approximately 15-20 years or more.

A Renovation – If the roof on your home 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 installing new rain 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 help to provide direction while you are shopping for new gutters. You’ll know which features are important or if you can choose a less expensive product.

Here are the questions you’ll need to ask when purchasing new gutters.

HOW TO CHOOSE GUTTER MATERIALS?

The best part about choosing new gutters is picking out the style. Gutters can blend in or stand out against your house, depending on your preference.

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

VINYL & PLASTIC GUTTERS

Vinyl and plastic are economical options that hold up well in most scenarios, besides cold climates, where they will wear down. Vinyl and plastic gutters are efficient in most regions of the country, and they are available in a wide variety of colors.

METAL & ALUMINUM GUTTERS

These reasonably priced materials are attractive and durable. Both of these materials are available in a wide range of colors too. They are fairly light and are easy to install. Galvanized metals (coated with zinc to protect them) are able to resist rust and corrosion even better.

COPPER & STAINLESS STEEL GUTTERS

Of all the rain gutter materials available, copper and stainless steel cost the most, but the most eye-catching as well. Homeowners in Huntington who purchase these materials are searching for an elegant touch, and that’s what they’ll get!

WHAT ARE IMPORTANT GUTTER FEATURES?

Almost all of the gutter options above will offer both of these options below:

SECTIONAL OR SEAMLESS GUTTERS

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

Seamless gutters – Seamless gutters need to be installed by a contractor because they need specialized equipment. They’re more expensive to buy and 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 every style of home. They are better for angled roofs, which are far more common. This one of the reasons for their popularity. In addition, 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 complement rounded roofs, popular before 1950, so they provide homes a luxurious, classic curb appeal. 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 much harder to install, but much easier to clean out, when it’s time for gutter cleaning.

DOES CLIMATE AFFECT GUTTERS?

The climate of your region may determine a lot about what gutters you can have. Like we already mentioned, certain 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 have to do. Basically, how much water are your gutters going to have to withstand?

Professional gutter installers in Huntington are going to take a lot of factors into consideration to determine the size and type of rain gutters that will 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 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 basic length times width calculation for standard roofs. However, 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 will help you determine how much rainfall will actually be collected, regardless of the rainfall statistics found online.

DOES IT SNOW WHERE YOU LIVE?

Snowfall will be included in average precipitation calculations, but you definitely want to consider the potential for ice dams. If it snows regularly in your state, you should seek professional guidance about the type of rain gutters that best prevent ice dams, which can severely damage your home’s roof.

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

HOW TO INSTALL GUTTERS?

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

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