Which Gutters Are Right For Your Home?

The first thing to ask yourself when you are planning to install new gutters is, “Why?” This question will help you answer the following questions you’ll have before making your final selection.

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

An Upgrade – Switching out the gutters can significantly affect the curb appeal 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 decisions about appearance and functionality. Rain gutters included. Choosing the gutters that go on your house is important because they will need to last approximately 15 years or more.

A Renovation – If the roof on your home has suffered damage, the gutters might need to be replaced, too. Or, they might just be aging and need to be replaced with new ones.

You will know why you are replacing the rain gutters, but the reason often has underlying motivations…

You want to sell your home.

You want to renovate but not spend too much money.

Your landscaping is getting damaged by ineffective gutters.

Determining your “Why” will often give you direction while you are shopping for new gutters. You’ll know if certain features are important or if you can go with a less expensive product.

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

HOW TO CHOOSE GUTTER MATERIALS?

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

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

VINYL & PLASTIC GUTTERS

Vinyl and plastic are economical options that hold up well in most cases, other than extremely cold climates, where they can become brittle. 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 stylish and durable. Both of these materials come in a wide range of colors as well. They are fairly lightweight and are easy to install. Galvanized metals (coated with zinc to protect them) fend off rust and corrosion even better.

COPPER & STAINLESS STEEL GUTTERS

Of all the gutter materials, copper and stainless steel cost the most, but the most attractive as well. Homeowners in Champaign who purchase these options are searching for an elegant touch, and that’s 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 types of gutters come in smaller sections, so they are easier 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 will need to be installed by a contractor because they need special equipment. They’re more expensive to buy and to 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 great with every 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 capable 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 provide homes a regal, established appearance. However, modern styles made from vinyl and plastic provide the best of both worlds, because they are lightweight and functional. Half-Round gutters are harder to install, but easier to clean, when the time comes for gutter cleaning.

DOES CLIMATE AFFECT GUTTERS?

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

The most important climate factor is how much work the gutters will need to do. Essentially, how much water are your gutters going to need to withstand?

Professional gutter contractors in Champaign will take many factors into consideration to get a good idea of the size and type of gutters that are going to work the best for your house.

WHAT IS THE FORMULA?

Luckily, the formula professional gutter 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 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 standard length times width calculation for residential 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 roof that is less sloped. Figuring out your roof-pitch factor is going to help you determine how much rainfall will actually be collected, regardless of the average rainfall statistics found online.

DOES IT SNOW WHERE YOU LIVE?

Snowfall will be factored into average precipitation calculations, but you also want to be aware of the potential for ice dams. If it snows often in your city, you should seek professional guidance about the type of rain gutters that best prevent ice dams, which might severely damage your home’s roof.

Of course, the last question is possibly 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 are going to enlist the services of a professional to install your new gutters. Professional installation will ensure maximum efficiency, versus doing it yourself.

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