Which Gutters Are Right For Your Home?

The number one thing to consider when you are purchasing new gutters is, “Why?” This question will help you 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 will be in the market for new rain gutters:

An Upgrade – Switching out the rain gutters can drastically affect the exterior style of your house, increasing its look in a subtler way than painting or new landscaping.

A New House – Building a new home comes with a constant stream of choices about appearance and functionality. Gutters are no exception. Deciding on the gutters that go on your home is important because they should last approximately 15 years.

A Renovation – If your roof has experienced damage, the gutters might need to be replaced, too. Or, they could just be wearing down and need to be replaced.

You obviously know why you are replacing the gutters, but the reason usually has underlying motivations…

You want to sell your home.

You want to renovate without spending too much money.

Your landscaping is being damaged by ineffective gutters.

Figuring out your “Why” will help to provide direction while you are shopping for new gutters. You’ll know if certain features are worth spending money on or if you can go with a more affordable product.

Here are the questions you’ll have when it’s time to install new gutters.

HOW TO CHOOSE GUTTER MATERIALS?

The best part of installing new rain gutters is choosing the materials. 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 economical options that hold up well in most scenarios, except in extremely cold climates, where they can become brittle. Vinyl and plastic gutters are acceptable in almost every region of the country, and they come in a wide variety of colors.

METAL & ALUMINUM GUTTERS

These reasonably priced materials are stylish and durable. Both materials come in a variety of colors too. They are fairly lightweight and easy 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 available, copper and stainless steel are the most expensive, but are the most eye-catching as well. Homeowners in Chicopee who choose these materials are looking for an elegant touch, and that’s what they’ll get!

WHAT ARE IMPORTANT GUTTER FEATURES?

Most of the gutter types above offer both of these options:

SECTIONAL OR SEAMLESS GUTTERS

Sectional gutters – These rain gutters come in smaller sections, so they are easy to install. In fact, many homeowners choose to install their own sectional gutters on their own. This type is the less expensive choice, and they have more seams, which means there are more areas 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 are more expensive to buy 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 attributes to their popularity. Plus, they are not hard to install. Many homeowners are capable enough to install their own K-Style gutters by themselves.

Half-Round – Half-Round gutters are traditionally made of copper and steel, and they recommended for rounded roofs, popular prior to 1950, so they give homes a regal, established 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 harder to install, but much easier to clean out, when the time comes for gutter cleaning.

DOES CLIMATE AFFECT GUTTERS?

The climate of your region will dictate a lot about what gutters you should purchase. Like we mentioned, some types of materials don’t hold up well in cold climates.

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

Professional gutter contractors in Chicopee can take a lot of factors into consideration to determine the size and type of gutters that are going to work best for your roof.

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 online on the National Weather Service or the U.S. Weather Bureau website. You should also check the maximum rainfall intensity for the city you live in. This is the max amount of rain that occurs within a 5-minute span.

Roof Square Footage – Square footage is a simple length times width calculation for residential roofs. However, you will want to factor in 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. Determining your roof-pitch factor is going to help you determine how much rainfall will be collected, regardless of the average rainfall statistics.

DOES IT SNOW WHERE YOU LIVE?

Snowfall is going to be included in average precipitation calculations, but you also want to be aware of the potential for ice dams forming on your roof. If it snows a lot in your region, you should seek professional guidance about the type of rain gutters that help to prevent ice dams, which could really damage your roof.

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

HOW TO INSTALL GUTTERS?

You also need to ask yourself if you’re willing to try to do the work on your own, or if you are going to pay a professional to install your new gutters. Professional installation will ensure maximum 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. An added bonus of hiring Clean & Clear Gutters to install your gutters is that we will help you answer all your questions about new gutters so that you are able to find the perfect style and type for your home.