Which Gutters are Right for Your Home?

The very 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 selection.

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

An Upgrade – Installing new rain gutters can really affect the exterior style of your house, improving its look in a more subtle way than painting or landscaping.

A New House – Designing a new home comes with a constant stream of decisions about appearance and functionality. Rain gutters included. Deciding on the gutters that go on your house is important because they should last at least 20 years or more.

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

You will know why you are installing new gutters, but the reason usually 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 often give you direction while you are shopping. You’ll know what features are worth spending money on or if you can go with a less expensive 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 choosing new rain gutters is picking out the style. Gutters can blend in or stand out against your house, depending on your personal preference.

These are the choices for materials, in order of cost:

VINYL & PLASTIC GUTTERS

Vinyl and plastic are economical options that hold up well in most scenarios, other than cold climates, where they can deteriorate. Vinyl and plastic gutters are acceptable in most regions of the country, and they come in a wide range of colors.

METAL & ALUMINUM GUTTERS

These mid-priced options are both attractive and durable. Both materials come in a variety of colors too. They are fairly light and are easy 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, copper and stainless steel cost the most, but are the most stylish as well. Homeowners in Cherry Hill who purchase these materials are searching for an elegant touch, and that’s exactly what they’ll get!

WHAT ARE IMPORTANT GUTTER FEATURES?

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

SECTIONAL OR SEAMLESS GUTTERS

Sectional gutters – These gutters are made in smaller sections, so they are easy to install. In fact, homeowners decide to install their own sectional gutters. This type is the more affordable choice, and they have more seams, which means more sections where leaks are going to occur.

Seamless gutters – Seamless gutters should be installed by a local contractor because they require specialized equipment. They are more expensive to purchase and to 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 every style of home. They are better for angled roofs, which are far more common. This speaks to their popularity. And, they are easy 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 are best for rounded roofs, popular prior to 1950, so they give homes a luxurious, classic curb appeal. However, more modern styles made out of vinyl and plastic provide the best of both worlds, being 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 will determine a lot about which gutters you should install. As we already mentioned, certain materials don’t hold up well in extremely cold climates.

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

Professional gutter contractors in Cherry Hill can take a lot of factors into consideration to get a good idea of the size and type of rain gutters that will work best for your roof.

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 weather statistic is available online 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 maximum amount of rain that will occur within a 5-minute span.

Roof Square Footage – Square footage is a basic length times width calculation for residential roofs. But, you need to figure all the surfaces of multi-faceted roofs.

Roof-Pitch Factor – A steep roof will collect more wind-blown rain than a roof that is less sloped. Knowing your roof-pitch factor will help you estimate how much rainfall will actually be collected, regardless of the average 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 regularly in your city, you need to seek professional guidance concerning the type of rain gutters that best prevent ice dams from forming, which could really damage your roof.

Of course, the last 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 enlist the services of a professional to install your new 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 installation will be done correctly. An added bonus of hiring Cherry Hill Gutters to install your gutters is that we can help you answer all your questions about gutters so that you are able to find the perfect style and type for your home.