Which Gutters Are Right For Your Home?

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

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

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

A New Home – Designing a home comes with a lot of of choices about both appearance and functionality. Gutters included. Choosing the first gutters that go on your house is important because they should last approximately 15-20 years.

A Renovation – If the roof on your home has experienced damage, the gutters may need to be replaced. Or, they may simply be getting too old and need to be replaced.

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

You want to sell your house.

You want to renovate without spending too much money.

Your landscaping is getting ruined by ineffective gutters.

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

Here are the questions you’ll have when it’s time to install new gutters.

HOW TO CHOOSE GUTTER MATERIALS?

The fun part about installing 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 economical materials that hold up well in most cases, other than extremely cold climates, where they will deteriorate. Vinyl and plastic gutters are sufficient in most regions of the country, and they come in a wide range of colors.

METAL & ALUMINUM GUTTERS

These reasonably priced materials are stylish and durable. Both of these materials come in a wide range of colors as well. They are fairly light and not difficult to install. Galvanized metals (coated with zinc to protect them) are able to resist rust and corrosion even better.

COPPER & STAINLESS STEEL GUTTERS

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

WHAT ARE IMPORTANT GUTTER FEATURES?

Almost all of the gutter options above will offer both of these options:

SECTIONAL OR SEAMLESS GUTTERS

Sectional gutters – These types of rain gutters are made in smaller sections, so they’re easy 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 areas where leaks are going to occur.

Seamless gutters – Seamless gutters should be installed by a local contractor because they require specialized equipment. They’re more expensive to buy and install, but 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 every style of home. They are better for angled roofs, which are 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 traditionally made of copper and steel, and they are best for rounded roofs, popular prior to 1950, so they provide homes a luxurious, classic curb appeal. However, modern styles made from vinyl and plastic offer the best of both worlds, being lightweight and highly functional. Half-Round gutters are harder to install, but much easier to clean, when the time comes for gutter cleaning.

DOES CLIMATE AFFECT GUTTERS?

The climate of the city you live in may determine a lot about the gutters you should purchase. Like we already mentioned, certain types of materials will not hold up well in cold climates.

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

Professional gutter installers in Marietta will take many factors into account to determine the size and the type of gutters that will work best for your home.

WHAT IS THE FORMULA?

Luckily, the formula professional home exterior 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 should also check the maximum rainfall intensity for your area. This is the max amount of rain that will occur within a 5-minute span.

Roof Square Footage – Square footage is a standard length times width calculation for standard roofs. However, you need 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 determine how much rainfall will be collected, regardless of the rainfall statistics found online.

DOES IT SNOW WHERE YOU LIVE?

Snowfall is going to be included in precipitation calculations, but you definitely want to be aware of the potential for ice dams forming on your roof. If it snows regularly in your region, you should seek professional guidance concerning the type of gutters that best prevent ice dams, which might really damage your roof.

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

HOW TO INSTALL GUTTERS?

You also need to ask yourself if you’re going to do the work on your own, or if you are going to pay a professional to install your gutters. Professional installation ensures maximum efficiency, versus doing it yourself.

Most homeowners should consider paying a little extra for labor, knowing that the job will be done correctly. An added bonus of hiring Marietta Gutters & More! to install your gutters is that we will help you answer all your questions about new gutters so that you find the best style and type.