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 important question will help you answer most of the subsequent questions you’ll have before making your selection.

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

An Upgrade – Installing new gutters can significantly impact the curb appeal of your house, improving its look in a more subtle way than painting or landscaping.

A New Home – Building a new home comes with a lot of of choices about both appearance and functionality. Rain gutters are one of them. Deciding on the gutters that go on your house is important because they will need to last approximately 15-20 years.

A Renovation – If your home’s roof is damaged, the gutters may need to be replaced. Or, they may simply be getting too old and need to be replaced with new ones.

You will know why you are installing new rain gutters on your home, but the reason often 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.

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

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

HOW TO CHOOSE GUTTER MATERIALS?

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

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

VINYL & PLASTIC GUTTERS

Vinyl and plastic are economical materials that are durable in most scenarios, except in extremely cold climates, where they can wear down. Vinyl and plastic gutters are acceptable in nearly every region of the country, and they are available in a wide variety of colors.

METAL & ALUMINUM GUTTERS

These reasonably priced materials are stylish and durable. Both materials come 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) resist rust and corrosion even better.

COPPER & STAINLESS STEEL GUTTERS

Of all the rain gutter materials, copper and stainless steel are the most expensive, but the most eye-catching as well. Homeowners in Minnetonka 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 will offer both of these options below:

SECTIONAL OR SEAMLESS GUTTERS

Sectional gutters – These gutters come in smaller sections, so they’re easy to install. In fact, most homeowners decide to install their own sectional gutters. 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 contractor because they require specialized tools. They’re more expensive to order and install, but less likely to leak than sectional gutters.

K-STYLE OR HALF-ROUND GUTTERS

K-Style – K-Style gutters are far more popular because they look great with virtually any style of home. They’re better for angled roofs, which are more common. This speaks to their popularity. Plus, they are not hard to install. Many homeowners are proficient enough to install their own K-Style gutters.

Half-Round – Half-Round gutters are traditionally made of copper and steel, and they complement rounded roofs, popular before 1950, so they give homes a regal, established curb appeal. However, modern styles made from vinyl and plastic offer the best of both worlds, being both lightweight and highly functional. Half-Round rain gutters are much harder to install, but much easier to clean, when it’s time for gutter cleaning.

DOES CLIMATE AFFECT GUTTERS?

The climate of the city you live in may dictate a lot about which gutters you can have. Like we already mentioned, some types of materials will not hold up well in extremely cold climates.

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

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

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 statistic is available on the National Weather Service or the U.S. Weather Bureau website. You should also find the maximum rainfall intensity for your area. This is the maximum amount of rain that occurs within a 5-minute span.

Roof Square Footage – Square footage is a basic length times width calculation for basic roofs. However, you will want to factor in 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 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 definitely want to consider 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 from forming, which might severely damage your home’s roof.

Of course, the final question is probably 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 new gutters. Professional installation ensures maximum efficiency, compared to doing it yourself.

Most homeowners are better off paying a little extra for labor, to ensure that the installation will be done correctly. An added bonus of hiring Clean Home Gutters to install your new gutters is that we are able to help you answer all your questions about new gutters so that you find the perfect style and type.