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 you answer most of the following questions you’ll have before purchasing your final selection.
In our experience as a local gutter service, here are only three reasons homeowners will be in the market for new gutters:
An Upgrade – Switching out the rain gutters can drastically affect the exterior style of your house, enhancing its look in a subtler way than painting or new landscaping.
A New Home – Building a home comes with a lot of of choices about both appearance and functionality. Gutters included. Choosing the gutters that go on your house is important because they should last at least 15-20 years.
A Renovation – If your roof been damaged, the gutters might need to be replaced, too. Or, they may simply be wearing down and need to be replaced.
You will know why you are replacing the rain gutters, but the reason usually has underlying motivations…
You want to sell your house.
You want to renovate but not spend a lot of money.
Your landscaping is getting damaged by ineffective gutters.
Determining your “Why” will provide direction while you are shopping for new gutters. You’ll know what features are important or if you can choose a more affordable product.
Here are the major questions you’ll need to ask when it’s time to install new gutters.
HOW TO CHOOSE GUTTER MATERIALS?
The fun part of installing new gutters is choosing the materials. Gutters can blend in or stand out against your house, depending on your personal preference.
These are the options you will have, in order of cost:
VINYL & PLASTIC GUTTERS
Vinyl and plastic are affordable materials that hold up well in most scenarios, besides extremely cold climates, where they will deteriorate. Vinyl and plastic gutters are efficient 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 are available 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) resist rust and corrosion even better.
COPPER & STAINLESS STEEL GUTTERS
Of all the rain gutter materials, copper and stainless steel cost the most, but the most stylish as well. Homeowners in Richmond who choose these options are searching 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 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 decide to install their own sectional gutters on their own. This type is the more affordable choice, and they are made with more seams, which means more sections where leaks are going to occur.
Seamless gutters – Seamless gutters will need to be installed by a local contractor because they require special tools. They’re more expensive to purchase and install, but less likely to leak or wear down 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 are better for angled roofs, which are more common. This one of the reasons for their popularity. In addition, they are not hard to install. Most 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 recommended for rounded roofs, popular prior to 1950, so they provide homes a luxurious, classic curb appeal. However, modern styles made out of vinyl and plastic offer the best of both worlds, because they are both lightweight and functional. Half-Round rain gutters are harder to install, but they are easier to clean, when the time comes for gutter cleaning.
DOES CLIMATE AFFECT GUTTERS?
The climate of your region will dictate a lot about the gutters you should purchase. Like we already mentioned, some materials will not hold up in extremely cold climates.
The single most important climate factor to think about is how much work the gutters will need to do. Basically, how much rain or water are your gutters going to need to withstand?
Professional gutter installers in Richmond 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 roof.
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 weather statistic can be found online on the National Weather Service or the U.S. Weather Bureau website. You can also check 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 standard roofs. But, you have 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. Determining your roof-pitch factor will help to estimate how much rainfall will be collected, regardless of the 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 forming on your roof. If it snows a lot in your city, you need to seek professional guidance about the type of rain gutters that best prevent ice dams from forming, which might really 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 going to do the work yourself, or if you are going to enlist the services of a professional to install your new gutters. Professional installation will ensure maximum efficiency, versus 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 Richmond Gutter Service to install your gutters is that we will help you answer all your questions about new gutters so that you find the perfect style and type.