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 you answer the questions you’ll have before making your selection.

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

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

A New House – Designing a new home comes with a constant stream of decisions about appearance and functionality. Gutters are one of them. Choosing the gutters that go on your house is important because they should last at least 15 years.

A Renovation – If your home’s roof been damaged, the gutters may need to be replaced, too. Or, they may simply be aging 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 house.

You want to renovate without spending a lot of money.

Your landscaping is being ruined by ineffective gutters.

Determining your “Why” will often give you direction while you are shopping. You’ll know what features are must-haves or if you can choose a less expensive product.

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

HOW TO CHOOSE GUTTER MATERIALS?

The best part of choosing new rain gutters is picking out the materials. Gutters can blend in or stand out against your home, 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 materials that are durable in most cases, other than cold climates, where they will become brittle. Vinyl and plastic gutters are efficient in nearly every region of the country, and they are available in a wide range of colors.

METAL & ALUMINUM GUTTERS

These reasonably priced options are both stylish and durable. Both materials are available in a wide range of colors as well. They are fairly lightweight and not difficult to install. Galvanized metals (coated with zinc to protect them) fend off rust and corrosion even better.

COPPER & STAINLESS STEEL GUTTERS

Of all the rain gutter materials, copper and stainless steel are the most expensive, but are the most eye-catching as well. Homeowners in Arlington who purchase 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 materials above will offer these options below:

SECTIONAL OR SEAMLESS GUTTERS

Sectional gutters – These gutters come in smaller sections, so they are easier to install. In fact, homeowners choose to install their own sectional gutters. This type is the more affordable choice, and they have more seams, which means there are more sections where leaks can occur.

Seamless gutters – Seamless gutters should be installed by a professional contractor because they need special tools. They’re more expensive to purchase and install, but less likely to leak than sectional gutters.

K-STYLE OR HALF-ROUND GUTTERS

K-Style – K-Style gutters are popular because they look excellent with every style of home. They are better for angled roofs, which are more common. This attributes to their popularity. And, 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 are best for rounded roofs, popular prior to 1950, so they provide homes a luxurious, established curb appeal. However, modern styles made out of vinyl and plastic provide the best of both worlds, because they are lightweight and highly functional. Half-Round rain gutters are a lot harder to install, but much easier to clean, when it’s time for gutter cleaning.

DOES CLIMATE AFFECT GUTTERS?

The climate of the city you live in may dictate a lot about the gutters you should purchase. Like we already mentioned, some materials don’t hold up in extremely cold climates.

The most important climate factor to think about is how much work the gutters will need to do. Basically, how much water are your gutters going to need to withstand?

Professional gutter installers in Arlington will take several factors into consideration to get a good idea of the size and the type of rain gutters that will work best for your house.

WHAT IS THE FORMULA?

Luckily, the formula professional roofing 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 on the National Weather Service or the U.S. Weather Bureau website. You can also look into 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 basic length times width calculation for basic roofs. But, you need to figure 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 estimate how much rainfall will actually be collected, regardless of the average rainfall statistics.

DOES IT SNOW WHERE YOU LIVE?

Snowfall will be included in 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 should seek professional guidance concerning the type of gutters that help to prevent ice dams from forming, which can really damage your home’s 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 do the work yourself, or if you want to hire a professional to install your gutters. Professional installation will ensure maximum efficiency, versus doing it yourself.

Most homeowners are better off paying a little extra for professional labor, knowing that the installation will be done right. An added bonus of hiring Arlington 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 best style and type.