Which Gutters are Right for Your Home?
The first thing to consider when you are planning to install new gutters is, “Why?” This pivotal question will help you answer many of the questions you’ll have before making your final 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 gutters can drastically impact the exterior style of your house, enhancing its look in a subtler way than painting or new landscaping.
A New House – Building a home comes with a constant stream 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 roof been damaged, the gutters might need to be replaced. Or, they could simply be getting too old 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 house.
You want to renovate but not spend a lot of money.
Your landscaping is being ruined 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 must-haves or if you can go with a more affordable product.
Here are the major questions you’ll have when it’s time to purchase new gutters.
HOW TO CHOOSE GUTTER MATERIALS?
The best part of installing new gutters is choosing the materials. Gutters can blend in or stand out against your home exterior, depending on your preference.
These are the choices for materials, in order of cost:
VINYL & PLASTIC GUTTERS
Vinyl and plastic are affordable choices that hold up well in most scenarios, other than cold climates, where they will become brittle. Vinyl and plastic gutters are efficient in almost every region of the country, and they are available in a wide variety of colors.
METAL & ALUMINUM GUTTERS
These mid-priced materials are both attractive and durable. Both materials are available in a variety of colors too. They are fairly light and easy to install. Galvanized metals (coated with zinc to protect them) withstand 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 Eden Prairie who decide on 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 these options:
SECTIONAL OR SEAMLESS GUTTERS
Sectional gutters – These types of rain gutters are made in smaller sections, so they are easier to install. In fact, most 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 are going to occur.
Seamless gutters – Seamless gutters need to be installed by a contractor because they need specialized tools. They’re more expensive to purchase and 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 more common. This attributes to their popularity. And, they are easy to install. Most 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 are best for rounded roofs, popular prior to 1950, so they provide homes a regal, classic appearance. However, more modern styles made out of vinyl and plastic provide the best of both worlds, because they are lightweight and highly functional. Half-Round gutters are harder to install, but much easier to clean out, when it’s time for gutter cleaning.
DOES CLIMATE AFFECT GUTTERS?
The climate of the region you live in may determine a lot about which gutters you should install. Like we mentioned, certain materials don’t 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 the gutters going to need to withstand?
Professional gutter installers in Eden Prairie will take several factors into account to determine the size and the type of rain gutters that are going to work the best for your home.
WHAT IS THE FORMULA?
Luckily, the formula professional home exterior contractors use is no 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 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 can happen within a 5-minute span.
Roof Square Footage – Square footage is a basic length times width calculation for basic roofs. However, you have 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 less sloped roof. Knowing your roof-pitch factor is going to help to 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 average precipitation calculations, but you also want to consider the potential for ice dams forming on your roof. If it snows regularly in your region, you should seek professional guidance about the type of rain gutters that help to prevent ice dams from forming, which might 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 going to do the work yourself, or if you want to pay a professional to install your new gutters. Professional installation will ensure efficiency, instead of doing it yourself.
Most homeowners should consider paying a little extra for labor, to ensure that the installation will be done right. Another bonus of hiring Eden Prairie Gutters to install the gutters is that we are able to help you answer all your questions about gutters so that you find the best style and type.