Which Gutters are Right for Your Home?

The number one thing to ask yourself when you are planning to install new gutters is, “Why?” This 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 just three reasons homeowners might be shopping for new gutters:

An Upgrade – Switching out the rain gutters can significantly impact the exterior style of your home, enhancing its look in a subtler way than painting or landscaping.

A New House – Building a home comes with a lot of of decisions about both appearance and functionality. Rain gutters included. Choosing the gutters that go on your house is important because they will need to last at least 15 years or more.

A Renovation – If your home’s roof has suffered damage, the gutters might have to be replaced. Or, they could simply be getting too old and need to be replaced with new ones.

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

You want to sell your home.

You want to renovate but not spend too much money.

Your landscaping is being ruined by ineffective gutters.

Determining your “Why” will give you direction while you are shopping. You’ll know what features are important or if you can choose a more affordable product.

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

HOW TO CHOOSE GUTTER MATERIALS?

The best part about choosing new rain gutters is choosing the materials. Gutters will blend in or stand out against your house, depending on your preference.

These are the options you will have, in order of lowest to highest cost:

VINYL & PLASTIC GUTTERS

Vinyl and plastic are economical options that are durable in most scenarios, besides extremely cold climates, where they can wear down. Vinyl and plastic gutters are sufficient in most regions of the country, and they are available in a wide range of colors.

METAL & ALUMINUM GUTTERS

These reasonably priced materials are attractive and durable. Both of these materials come in a variety of colors too. They are fairly light and are easy to install. Galvanized metals (coated with zinc to protect them) are able to 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 attractive as well. Homeowners in Lorain who purchase these options are searching for an elegant touch, and that’s just what they’ll get!

WHAT ARE IMPORTANT GUTTER FEATURES?

Almost all of the gutter materials above offer both of these options:

SECTIONAL OR SEAMLESS GUTTERS

Sectional gutters – These rain gutters are made in smaller sections, so they are easier to install. In fact, many homeowners choose 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 can occur.

Seamless gutters – Seamless gutters need to be installed by a professional contractor because they need specialized equipment. They’re more expensive to purchase and to install, but they are 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 great with every style of home. They are better for angled roofs, which are far more common. This one of the reasons for 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 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 from vinyl and plastic provide the best of both worlds, because they are both lightweight and highly functional. Half-Round 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 may dictate a lot about which gutters you can have. As we already mentioned, some materials will not hold up in extremely cold climates.

The single most important climate factor is how much work the gutters will need to do. Essentially, how much rain or water are your gutters going to have to withstand?

Professional gutter installers in Lorain will take many factors into account to get a good idea of the size and type of rain gutters that will work best for your roof.

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 weather statistic can be found online on the National Weather Service or the U.S. Weather Bureau website. You should also look into the maximum rainfall intensity for your area. 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. But, 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. Figuring out your roof-pitch factor is going to help to determine how much rainfall will be collected, regardless of the rainfall statistics.

DOES IT SNOW WHERE YOU LIVE?

Snowfall will be factored into 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 should seek professional guidance about the type of gutters that best prevent ice dams from forming, which might severely damage your roof.

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

HOW TO INSTALL GUTTERS?

You also need to ask yourself if you’re going to try to do the work yourself, or if you are going to enlist the services of a professional to install your gutters. Professional installation ensures maximum efficiency, compared to doing it yourself.

Most homeowners should consider paying a little extra for professional labor, knowing that the job will be done correctly. Another bonus of hiring Lorain Gutters to install the gutters is that we are able to help you answer all your questions about gutters so that you are able to find the perfect style and type for your home.