Which Gutters are Right for Your Home?

The number one thing to ask yourself when you are shopping for new gutters is, “Why?” This important question will help you answer the subsequent questions you’ll have before purchasing your final selection.

In our experience as a local gutter service, here are only three reasons homeowners might be shopping for new gutters:

An Upgrade – Switching out the rain gutters can really affect the appearance of your house, improving its look in a more subtle way than painting or new landscaping.

A New House – Building a home comes with a lot of of decisions about appearance and functionality. Rain gutters are no exception. Deciding on the gutters that go on your house is important because they should last at least 15 years or more.

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

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 but not spend a lot of money.

Your landscaping is being damaged by ineffective gutters.

Determining your “Why” will help to provide direction while you are shopping. You’ll know which features are must-haves or if you can go with a more affordable product.

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

HOW TO CHOOSE GUTTER MATERIALS?

The fun part of choosing new rain gutters is choosing the style. Gutters can blend in or stand out against your home exterior, depending on your preference.

These are the options for materials, in order of lowest to highest cost:

VINYL & PLASTIC GUTTERS

Vinyl and plastic are affordable options that are durable in most cases, except in extremely cold climates, where they will become brittle. Vinyl and plastic gutters are acceptable in most regions of the country, and they come in a wide variety of colors.

METAL & ALUMINUM GUTTERS

These reasonably priced materials are both attractive and durable. Both materials are available in a wide range of colors as well. They are fairly light and are easy to install. Galvanized metals (coated with zinc to protect them) will fend off rust and corrosion even better.

COPPER & STAINLESS STEEL GUTTERS

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

WHAT ARE IMPORTANT GUTTER FEATURES?

Most of the gutter materials above offer both of these options below:

SECTIONAL OR SEAMLESS GUTTERS

Sectional gutters – These types of gutters come in smaller sections, so they are easy to install. In fact, homeowners decide 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 local contractor because they require specialized equipment. They’re more expensive to buy and to install, but they are 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 great with almost any style of home. They’re better for angled roofs, which are far more common. This one of the reasons for their popularity. Plus, they are easy to install. Many homeowners are capable enough to install their own K-Style gutters.

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, modern styles made from vinyl and plastic provide the best of both worlds, because they are both lightweight and functional. Half-Round gutters are a lot harder to install, but easier to clean, when the time comes for gutter cleaning.

DOES CLIMATE AFFECT GUTTERS?

The climate of the city you live in will determine a lot about what gutters you can have. Like we already mentioned, some types of materials will not hold up well in cold climates.

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

Professional gutter companies in Concord will take many factors into consideration to determine the size and the type of gutters that will work best for your home.

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 weather statistic is available 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 occurs within a 5-minute span.

Roof Square Footage – Square footage is a standard length times width calculation for residential roofs. However, you will need to figure all the surfaces of multi-faceted roofs.

Roof-Pitch Factor – A steep roof will collect more wind-blown rain than a roof that is less sloped. Knowing 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 included in average precipitation calculations, but you also want to consider the potential for ice dams forming on your roof. If it snows a lot in your region, you need to seek professional guidance about the type of rain gutters that best prevent ice dams, which could severely damage your roof.

Of course, the final 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 want to enlist the services of a professional to install your gutters. Professional installation will ensure maximum efficiency, compared to doing it yourself.

Most homeowners are better off paying a little extra for labor, to ensure that the job will be done correctly. An added bonus of hiring Classic Concord Gutters to install the gutters is that we are able to help you answer all of your questions about new gutters so that you are able to find the perfect style and type for your home.