Which Gutters Are Right For Your Home?

The number one thing to consider when you are shopping for new gutters is, “Why?” This question will help you answer many of the following questions you’ll have before making your ultimate selection.

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

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

A New House – Designing a home comes with a constant stream of choices about appearance and functionality. Rain gutters are one of them. Deciding on the gutters that go on your home is important because they should last at least 15 years or more.

A Renovation – If the roof on your home has had damage, the gutters might need to be replaced, too. Or, they may just 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 usually has underlying motivations…

You want to sell your house.

You want to renovate without spending a lot of money.

Your landscaping is getting damaged by ineffective gutters.

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

Here are the questions you’ll need to ask when it’s time to purchase new gutters.

HOW TO CHOOSE GUTTER MATERIALS?

The best part about purchasing 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 choices for materials, in order of lowest to highest cost:

VINYL & PLASTIC GUTTERS

Vinyl and plastic are affordable options that hold up well in most scenarios, besides extremely cold climates, where they can deteriorate. Vinyl and plastic gutters are sufficient in nearly every region 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 as well. They are fairly lightweight and not difficult 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 rain gutter materials, copper and stainless steel are the most expensive, but the most eye-catching as well. Homeowners in Aurora 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 types above offer both of these options:

SECTIONAL OR SEAMLESS GUTTERS

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

Seamless gutters – Seamless gutters should be installed by a professional contractor because they need special equipment. They’re more expensive to purchase and 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 popular because they look excellent with virtually any 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. Most homeowners are proficient 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 give homes a luxurious, established appearance. However, modern styles made from vinyl and plastic offer the best of both worlds, because they are lightweight and highly functional. Half-Round rain gutters are much harder to install, but easier to clean out, when it’s time for gutter cleaning.

DOES CLIMATE AFFECT GUTTERS?

The climate of your region may dictate a lot about which gutters you should purchase. Like we mentioned, some types of materials will not hold up 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 withstand?

Professional gutter contractors in Aurora are going to take many factors into account to determine the size and the type of gutters that will work the best for your roof.

WHAT IS THE FORMULA?

Luckily, the formula professional 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 can also find the maximum rainfall intensity for the city you live in. This is the maximum 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 roof that is steep will collect more wind-blown rain than a roof that is less sloped. Knowing your roof-pitch factor will help to determine how much rainfall will actually be collected, regardless of the rainfall statistics.

DOES IT SNOW WHERE YOU LIVE?

Snowfall is factored into average precipitation calculations, but you also want to be aware of the potential for ice dams. If it snows regularly in your region, you should seek professional guidance about the type of gutters that help to prevent ice dams from forming, which can severely damage your roof.

Of course, the last question is possibly the most important …

HOW TO INSTALL GUTTERS?

You also have to ask yourself if you’re going to try to do the work yourself, or if you want to enlist the services of a professional to install your new gutters. Professional installation ensures efficiency, versus doing it yourself.

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