Which Gutters Are Right For Your Home?

The number one thing to consider when you are planning to install new gutters is, “Why?” This pivotal question will help you answer the subsequent questions you’ll have before purchasing your final selection.

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

An Upgrade – Switching out the rain gutters can significantly affect the curb appeal of your house, increasing its look in a subtler way than painting or new landscaping.

A New House – Designing a home comes with a lot of of decisions about both appearance and functionality. Rain gutters included. Choosing the gutters that go on your home is important because they should last approximately 15-20 years or more.

A Renovation – If the roof on your home been damaged, the gutters might need to be replaced, too. Or, they might just be getting too old and need to be replaced with new ones.

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.

Determining your “Why” will often provide direction while you are shopping. You’ll know if certain features are must-haves or if you can go with a more affordable product.

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

HOW TO CHOOSE GUTTER MATERIALS?

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

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

VINYL & PLASTIC GUTTERS

Vinyl and plastic are economical materials that are durable in most scenarios, besides extremely cold climates, where they can become brittle. Vinyl and plastic gutters are acceptable in most regions of the country, and they are available in a wide variety of colors.

METAL & ALUMINUM GUTTERS

These reasonably priced materials are both stylish and durable. Both materials come in a variety of colors as well. 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 are the most expensive, but the most stylish as well. Homeowners in Bloomington who choose these materials are looking for an elegant touch, and that’s what they’ll get!

WHAT ARE IMPORTANT GUTTER FEATURES?

Most of the gutter materials above will offer these options:

SECTIONAL OR SEAMLESS GUTTERS

Sectional gutters – These gutters are made in smaller sections, so they’re easier to install. In fact, 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 more sections where leaks are going to occur.

Seamless gutters – Seamless gutters should be installed by a professional contractor because they need special equipment. They are more expensive to purchase 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 far more common. This attributes to their popularity. In addition, they are easy to install. Many homeowners are proficient 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 curb appeal. However, more modern styles made out of vinyl and plastic provide the best of both worlds, being both lightweight and highly functional. Half-Round gutters are much harder to install, but easier to clean out, when it’s time for gutter cleaning.

DOES CLIMATE AFFECT GUTTERS?

The climate of the city you live in may dictate a lot about what gutters you should purchase. As we already mentioned, some types of materials don’t hold up well in cold climates.

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

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

WHAT IS THE FORMULA?

Luckily, the formula professional 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 can also check 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 simple length times width calculation for residential roofs. However, you will have 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. Figuring out your roof-pitch factor is going to help to estimate how much rainfall will actually be collected, regardless of the rainfall statistics.

DOES IT SNOW WHERE YOU LIVE?

Snowfall is factored into precipitation calculations, but you definitely want to consider the potential for ice dams. If it snows often in your city, you should seek professional guidance about the type of gutters that help to prevent ice dams from forming, which could really damage your home’s roof.

Of course, the final question is arguably 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 hire a professional to install your gutters. Professional installation will ensure maximum efficiency, compared to doing it yourself.

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