Which Gutters Are Right For Your Home?

The very first thing to consider when you are planning to install new gutters is, “Why?” This pivotal question will help you answer most 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 – Installing new gutters can really impact the curb appeal of your house, enhancing its look in a more subtle way than painting or new landscaping.

A New Home – Designing a new home comes with a lot of of choices about both appearance and functionality. Gutters are one of them. Choosing the gutters that go on your home is important because they should last at least 15-20 years or more.

A Renovation – If the roof on your home been damaged, the gutters might need to be replaced. Or, they might simply be getting too old and need to be replaced with new ones.

You know why you are installing new gutters, but the reason often has underlying motivations…

You want to sell your home.

You want to renovate without spending a lot of money.

Your landscaping is being damaged by ineffective gutters.

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

Here are the major questions you’ll want to consider when purchasing new gutters.

HOW TO CHOOSE GUTTER MATERIALS?

The best part about installing new gutters is picking out the materials. Gutters will blend in or stand out against your home, depending on your preference.

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

VINYL & PLASTIC GUTTERS

Vinyl and plastic are economical choices that hold up well in most scenarios, except in extremely cold climates, where they will deteriorate. Vinyl and plastic gutters are efficient in nearly 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 come in a variety of colors as well. They are fairly light and easy to install. Galvanized metals (coated with zinc to protect them) will withstand rust and corrosion even better.

COPPER & STAINLESS STEEL GUTTERS

Of all the gutter materials available, copper and stainless steel are the most expensive, but the most stylish as well. Homeowners in Holyoke who decide on these materials are looking for an elegant touch, and that’s exactly what they’ll get!

WHAT ARE IMPORTANT GUTTER FEATURES?

Almost all of the gutter materials above offer these options:

SECTIONAL OR SEAMLESS GUTTERS

Sectional gutters – These gutters come in smaller sections, so they’re easy to install. In fact, homeowners choose to install their own sectional gutters on their own. This type is the less expensive choice, and they are made with 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 special tools. They are 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 almost any style of home. They’re better for angled roofs, which are more common. This one of the reasons for their popularity. In addition, 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 traditionally made of copper and steel, and they are best for rounded roofs, popular before 1950, so they provide homes a luxurious, classic curb appeal. However, modern styles made from vinyl and plastic provide the best of both worlds, being both lightweight and functional. Half-Round rain gutters are a lot harder to install, but they are easier to clean, when it’s time for gutter cleaning.

DOES CLIMATE AFFECT GUTTERS?

The climate of your region may determine a lot about the gutters you should purchase. Like we already mentioned, some materials don’t hold up well in cold climates.

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

Professional gutter installers in Holyoke can take several factors into consideration to determine the size and type of gutters that will work best for your roof.

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 statistic can be found 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 maximum 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. 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 less sloped roof. Determining your roof-pitch factor will help you determine how much rainfall will be collected, regardless of the average rainfall statistics found online.

DOES IT SNOW WHERE YOU LIVE?

Snowfall is going to be included in precipitation calculations, but you definitely want to consider the potential for ice dams. If it snows regularly in your city, you should seek professional guidance about the type of gutters that help to prevent ice dams from forming, 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 try to do the work yourself, or if you want to hire a professional to install your gutters. Professional installation will ensure maximum efficiency, instead of doing it yourself.

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