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

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

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

A New House – Designing a home comes with a lot of of decisions about both appearance and functionality. Gutters are no exception. Choosing the gutters that go on your home is important because they should last approximately 15 years or more.

A Renovation – If your home’s roof is damaged, the gutters might need to be replaced. Or, they may just be deteriorating and need to be replaced with new ones.

You know why you are installing new gutters, but the reason usually has underlying motivations…

You want to sell your home.

You want to renovate but not spend a lot of money.

Your landscaping is getting damaged by ineffective gutters.

Figuring out your “Why” will help to provide direction while you are shopping for new gutters. You’ll know what features are worth spending money on or if you can choose a less expensive product.

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

HOW TO CHOOSE GUTTER MATERIALS?

The fun part about purchasing new gutters is picking out the style. Gutters can blend in or stand out against your home exterior, depending on your preference.

These are the options for materials, in order of lowest to highest cost:

VINYL & PLASTIC GUTTERS

Vinyl and plastic are economical choices that are durable in most cases, other than extremely cold climates, where they can become brittle. Vinyl and plastic gutters are efficient in most regions of the country, and they come in a wide variety of colors.

METAL & ALUMINUM GUTTERS

These mid-priced options are both attractive and durable. Both of these materials are available in a wide range of colors as well. They are fairly light and easy to install. Galvanized metals (coated with zinc to protect them) are able to resist rust and corrosion even better.

COPPER & STAINLESS STEEL GUTTERS

Of all the rain gutter materials available, copper and stainless steel are the most expensive, but the most eye-catching as well. Homeowners in Downers Grove who purchase these options are searching for an elegant touch, and that’s just what they’ll get!

WHAT ARE IMPORTANT GUTTER FEATURES?

Most of the gutter options above offer both of these options:

SECTIONAL OR SEAMLESS GUTTERS

Sectional gutters – These types of rain gutters come in smaller sections, so they are easier to install. In fact, many 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 areas where leaks can occur.

Seamless gutters – Seamless gutters will need to be installed by a local contractor because they require specialized 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 far more popular because they look excellent with every style of home. They are better for angled roofs, which are more common. This speaks to their popularity. Plus, they are easy to install. Many homeowners are capable enough to install their own K-Style gutters by themselves.

Half-Round – Half-Round gutters are traditionally made of copper and steel, and they are best for rounded roofs, popular prior to 1950, so they provide homes a regal, established curb appeal. However, more modern styles made from vinyl and plastic provide the best of both worlds, because they are both lightweight and highly functional. Half-Round rain gutters are much harder to install, but they are easier to clean out, when the time comes for gutter cleaning.

DOES CLIMATE AFFECT GUTTERS?

The climate of your region may dictate a lot about which gutters you should purchase. 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 your gutters going to have to handle?

Professional gutter installers in Downers Grove are going to take several factors into account to get a good idea of the size and type of rain gutters that will work best for your home.

WHAT IS THE FORMULA?

Luckily, the formula professional home exterior 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 is available on the National Weather Service or the U.S. Weather Bureau website. You can also look into the maximum rainfall intensity for your area. This is the maximum amount of rain that can happen within a 5-minute span.

Roof Square Footage – Square footage is a simple length times width calculation for residential roofs. However, you want 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. Knowing your roof-pitch factor will help to determine how much rainfall will actually be collected, regardless of the rainfall statistics found online.

DOES IT SNOW WHERE YOU LIVE?

Snowfall is factored into average precipitation calculations, but you definitely want to be aware of the potential for ice dams forming on your roof. If it snows a lot in your state, you should seek professional guidance concerning the type of gutters that help to prevent ice dams, which can severely damage your roof.

Of course, the final question is arguably the most important …

HOW TO INSTALL GUTTERS?

You also have 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 gutters. Professional installation ensures efficiency, instead of doing it yourself.

Most homeowners are better off paying a little extra for labor, knowing that the job will be done right. Another bonus of hiring Downers Grove Gutters to install your new gutters is that we will help you answer all your questions about new gutters so that you find the best style and type for your home.