Which Gutters Are Right For Your Home?

The first thing to consider when you are purchasing new gutters is, “Why?” This question will help to answer the following questions you’ll have before making your ultimate selection.

In our experience as a local gutter service, here are three reasons homeowners will be shopping for new rain 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 new landscaping.

A New House – Building a home comes with a lot of decisions about both appearance and functionality. Rain gutters are one of them. Choosing the gutters that go on your home is important because they should last approximately 15 years or more.

A Renovation – If the roof on your home has suffered damage, the gutters might have to be replaced, too. Or, they may just be wearing down and need to be replaced with new ones.

You obviously know why you are replacing the gutters on your home, 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 getting ruined by ineffective gutters.

Determining your “Why” will often give you direction while you are shopping. You’ll know which 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 best part of installing new rain gutters is picking out the materials. Gutters can blend in or stand out against your house, depending on your preference.

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

VINYL & PLASTIC GUTTERS

Vinyl and plastic are economical choices that are durable in most cases, except in extremely cold climates, where they can wear down. Vinyl and plastic gutters are sufficient in most regions of the country, and they come in a wide range of colors.

METAL & ALUMINUM GUTTERS

These mid-priced materials are both attractive and durable. Both materials come in a variety of colors as well. They are fairly lightweight and are easy 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, copper and stainless steel are the most expensive, but the most stylish as well. Homeowners in Quincy who purchase these materials are looking for an elegant touch, and that’s just what they’ll get!

WHAT ARE IMPORTANT GUTTER FEATURES?

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

SECTIONAL OR SEAMLESS GUTTERS

Sectional gutters – These types of gutters are made in smaller sections, so they’re easier to install. In fact, homeowners decide to install their own sectional gutters on their own. This type is the less expensive choice, and they are made with more seams, which means there are more sections where leaks can occur.

Seamless gutters – Seamless gutters should be installed by a contractor because they require special 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 virtually any 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 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 recommended for rounded roofs, popular prior to 1950, so they provide homes a regal, classic curb appeal. However, more modern styles made out of vinyl and plastic provide the best of both worlds, being lightweight and functional. Half-Round gutters are much harder to install, but much easier to clean, when the time comes for gutter cleaning.

DOES CLIMATE AFFECT GUTTERS?

The climate of your region may dictate a lot about which gutters you should purchase. Like we already mentioned, some types of materials will not hold up well in extremely cold climates.

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

Professional gutter companies in Quincy will take a lot of 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 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 online on the National Weather Service or the U.S. Weather Bureau website. You can also find the maximum rainfall intensity for the city you live in. 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 residential roofs. But, you will need 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 to calculate how much rainfall will actually be collected, regardless of the average rainfall statistics found online.

DOES IT SNOW WHERE YOU LIVE?

Snowfall is factored into average precipitation calculations, but you also want to be aware of the potential for ice dams. If it snows regularly in your city, you should seek professional guidance concerning the type of gutters that best prevent ice dams, which could really damage your 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 want to pay a professional to install your gutters. Professional installation ensures maximum efficiency, compared to doing it yourself.

Most homeowners are better off paying a little extra for labor, knowing that the job will be done correctly. Another bonus of hiring Quality Quincy Gutters to install your new gutters is that we can help you answer all of your questions about gutters so that you find the best style and type.