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 most of the following questions you’ll have before making your selection.

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

An Upgrade – Installing new gutters can significantly affect the exterior style 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 decisions about appearance and functionality. Gutters are one of them. Deciding on the gutters that go on your house is important because they will need to last at least 20 years.

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

You will know why you are replacing the rain 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 getting damaged by ineffective gutters.

Figuring out your “Why” will often provide direction while you are shopping. You’ll know which features are important or if you can choose a less expensive product.

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

HOW TO CHOOSE GUTTER MATERIALS?

The best part of installing new rain gutters is choosing 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 lowest to highest cost:

VINYL & PLASTIC GUTTERS

Vinyl and plastic are economical materials that hold up well in most scenarios, besides extremely cold climates, where they will wear down. Vinyl and plastic gutters are sufficient in most regions of the country, and they come in a wide variety of colors.

METAL & ALUMINUM GUTTERS

These reasonably priced options are stylish and durable. Both materials are available in a variety of colors as well. They are fairly lightweight and are not hard to install. Galvanized metals (coated with zinc to protect them) will resist rust and corrosion even better.

COPPER & STAINLESS STEEL GUTTERS

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

WHAT ARE IMPORTANT GUTTER FEATURES?

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

SECTIONAL OR SEAMLESS GUTTERS

Sectional gutters – These types of rain gutters are made in smaller sections, so they’re easy to install. In fact, many 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 there are more sections where leaks can occur.

Seamless gutters – Seamless gutters should be installed by a contractor because they need specialized equipment. They’re more expensive to purchase and install, but less likely to leak 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 far more common. This attributes to their popularity. Plus, they are easy to install. Many 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 complement rounded roofs, popular before 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, because they are both lightweight and functional. Half-Round gutters are much harder to install, but easier to clean out, when the time comes for gutter cleaning.

DOES CLIMATE AFFECT GUTTERS?

The climate of the region you live in may dictate a lot about the gutters you should install. As we mentioned, certain types of materials don’t hold up well in cold climates.

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

Professional gutter contractors in Fort Wayne will take many factors into account to determine the size and type of rain gutters that will work the best for your house.

WHAT IS THE FORMULA?

Luckily, the formula professional 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 can also look into 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 standard roofs. But, you have 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. Knowing your roof-pitch factor is going to help you calculate how much rainfall will 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 consider the potential for ice dams forming on your roof. If it snows regularly in your state, you should seek professional guidance about the type of rain gutters that best prevent ice dams, which might severely damage your roof.

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

HOW TO INSTALL GUTTERS?

You also have to ask yourself if you’re willing to do the work on your own, or if you want to enlist the services of a professional to install your new gutters. Professional installation ensures maximum efficiency, compared to doing it yourself.

Most homeowners should consider paying a little extra for labor, knowing that the installation will be done right. Another bonus of hiring Fort Wayne Gutters to install the new gutters is that we will help you answer all of your questions about new gutters so that you find the best style and type.