Which Gutters Are Right For Your Home?

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

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

An Upgrade – Installing new rain gutters can really impact the appearance of your house, improving its look in a subtler way than painting or landscaping.

A New House – Designing a home comes with a lot of of decisions about appearance and functionality. Rain gutters are no exception. Deciding on 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 the roof on your home is damaged, the gutters may have to be replaced. Or, they may just be aging and need to be replaced.

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

You want to sell your house.

You want to renovate without spending too much money.

Your landscaping is being damaged by ineffective gutters.

Figuring out your “Why” will often provide direction while you are shopping. You’ll know which features are important or if you can go with a more affordable product.

Here are the questions you’ll have when purchasing new gutters.

HOW TO CHOOSE GUTTER MATERIALS?

The best part about installing new rain gutters is choosing the style. Gutters can blend in or stand out against your home exterior, 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 choices that are durable in most cases, except in cold climates, where they can become brittle. Vinyl and plastic gutters are acceptable in nearly every region of the country, and they come in a wide range of colors.

METAL & ALUMINUM GUTTERS

These mid-priced materials are both stylish and durable. Both of these materials come in a variety of colors as well. They are fairly light 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 rain gutter materials available, copper and stainless steel are the most expensive, but the most eye-catching as well. Homeowners in Attleboro who decide on these materials are looking for an elegant touch, and that’s what they’ll get!

WHAT ARE IMPORTANT GUTTER FEATURES?

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

SECTIONAL OR SEAMLESS GUTTERS

Sectional gutters – These rain 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 less expensive choice, and they are made with more seams, which means more areas where leaks are going to occur.

Seamless gutters – Seamless gutters need to be installed by a local contractor because they need specialized tools. They are more expensive to purchase and 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 excellent with every style of home. They’re better for angled roofs, which are far more common. This speaks to their popularity. In addition, they are easy to install. Many homeowners are proficient 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 give homes a luxurious, classic appearance. However, more modern styles made out of vinyl and plastic offer the best of both worlds, because they are lightweight and functional. Half-Round 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 the region you live in will dictate a lot about what gutters you can have. Like we mentioned, certain types of materials don’t hold up well in extremely cold climates.

The most important climate factor to think about is how much work the gutters will have to do. In other words, how much rain or water are the gutters going to need to withstand?

Professional gutter contractors in Attleboro are going to take a lot of factors into account to get a good idea of the size and the type of gutters that are going to work best for your home.

WHAT IS THE FORMULA?

Luckily, the formula professional gutter 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 weather statistic can be found 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 will occur within a 5-minute span.

Roof Square Footage – Square footage is a basic length times width calculation for standard roofs. But, you want to figure all the surfaces of multi-faceted roofs.

Roof-Pitch Factor – A roof that is steep will collect more wind-blown rain than a roof that is less sloped. Knowing your roof-pitch factor is going to help you estimate how much rainfall will actually be collected, regardless of the average rainfall statistics.

DOES IT SNOW WHERE YOU LIVE?

Snowfall is factored into average precipitation calculations, but you also want to consider the potential for ice dams. 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 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 yourself, or if you are going to hire a professional to install your new gutters. Professional installation will ensure efficiency, versus doing it yourself.

Most homeowners should consider paying a little extra for professional labor, to ensure that the installation will be done right. An added bonus of hiring Attleboro Gutters to install your gutters is that we can help you answer all your questions about gutters so that you are able to find the perfect style and type for your home.