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 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 in the market for new rain gutters:

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

A New House – Designing a new home comes with a lot of of choices about appearance and functionality. Rain gutters are one of them. Choosing the first gutters that go on your house is important because they will need to last approximately 20 years or more.

A Renovation – If your roof been damaged, the gutters may have to be replaced, too. Or, they could just be aging and need to be replaced.

You know why you are installing new rain gutters, 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 damaged by ineffective gutters.

Figuring out your “Why” will provide direction while you are shopping for new gutters. You’ll know what features are must-haves or if you can choose a more affordable product.

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

HOW TO CHOOSE GUTTER MATERIALS?

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

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

VINYL & PLASTIC GUTTERS

Vinyl and plastic are economical options that are durable in most cases, other than cold climates, where they can wear down. Vinyl and plastic gutters are sufficient in almost every region of the country, and they are available in a wide variety of colors.

METAL & ALUMINUM GUTTERS

These reasonably priced materials are both attractive and durable. Both of these materials are available in a variety of colors as well. They are fairly light and are not hard to install. Galvanized metals (coated with zinc to protect them) are able to fend off 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 attractive as well. Homeowners in Passaic 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 options above will offer these options below:

SECTIONAL OR SEAMLESS GUTTERS

Sectional gutters – These types of gutters come in smaller sections, so they’re 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 are made with more seams, which means more areas where leaks can occur.

Seamless gutters – Seamless gutters should be installed by a local contractor because they require special tools. They’re more expensive to order 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 far more popular because they look great with almost any style of home. They’re better for angled roofs, which are far more common. This attributes to their popularity. Plus, 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 before 1950, so they provide homes a regal, established curb appeal. However, modern styles made out of vinyl and plastic provide the best of both worlds, because they are both lightweight and functional. Half-Round rain gutters are much harder to install, but much easier to clean out, when it’s time for gutter cleaning.

DOES CLIMATE AFFECT GUTTERS?

The climate of the city you live in will determine a lot about which gutters you can have. As we already mentioned, certain types of materials don’t hold up well in extremely cold climates.

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

Professional gutter installers in Passaic are going to take several factors into consideration to get a good idea of the size and the type of gutters that are going to work best for your home.

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 can be found 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 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 want to figure all the surfaces of multi-faceted roofs.

Roof-Pitch Factor – A steep roof will collect more wind-blown rain than a less sloped roof. Figuring out your roof-pitch factor is going to help to calculate how much rainfall will actually be collected, regardless of the rainfall statistics found online.

DOES IT SNOW WHERE YOU LIVE?

Snowfall is going to be factored into precipitation calculations, but you also want to be aware of the potential for ice dams. If it snows a lot in your region, you need to seek professional guidance concerning the type of rain gutters that help to prevent ice dams from forming, which could really damage your roof.

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

HOW TO INSTALL GUTTERS?

You also have to ask yourself if you’re willing to try to do the work yourself, or if you want to pay a professional to install your gutters. Professional installation ensures efficiency, compared to doing it yourself.

Most homeowners are better off paying a little extra for professional labor, to ensure that the job will be done right. An added bonus of hiring Passaic Gutter Pros to install the new gutters is that we will help you answer all your questions about new gutters so that you are able to find the perfect style and type for your home.