Which Gutters are Right for Your Home?

The very first thing to ask yourself when you are purchasing new gutters is, “Why?” This important question will help to answer many of the questions you’ll have before purchasing 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 – Switching out the gutters can significantly impact the appearance of your home, increasing its look in a more subtle way than painting or new landscaping.

A New House – Building a home comes with a constant stream of choices about appearance and functionality. Gutters are no exception. Deciding on the gutters that go on your home is important because they will need to last at least 15 years or more.

A Renovation – If the roof on your home has suffered damage, the gutters may need to be replaced. Or, they may simply be deteriorating and need to be replaced with new ones.

You obviously know why you are installing new rain gutters, 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 help to provide direction while you are shopping. You’ll know what features are important or if you can go with a more affordable product.

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

HOW TO CHOOSE GUTTER MATERIALS?

The fun part of installing new gutters is picking out the materials. Gutters can blend in or stand out against your house, depending on your preference.

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

VINYL & PLASTIC GUTTERS

Vinyl and plastic are economical materials that hold up well in most scenarios, other than cold climates, where they will wear down. Vinyl and plastic gutters are efficient in most regions of the country, and they are available in a wide range of colors.

METAL & ALUMINUM GUTTERS

These mid-priced materials are both attractive and durable. Both materials are available in a wide range of colors too. They are fairly lightweight and are not difficult 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 cost the most, but are the most attractive as well. Homeowners in Chapel Hill who purchase these options are searching for an elegant touch, and that’s exactly what they’ll get!

WHAT ARE IMPORTANT GUTTER FEATURES?

Almost all of the gutter materials above offer 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, homeowners decide 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 are going to occur.

Seamless gutters – Seamless gutters will need to be installed by a professional contractor because they need special tools. They’re more expensive to order 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 far more popular because they look excellent with almost any style of home. They are better for angled roofs, which are far more common. This attributes to their popularity. And, they are easy to install. Most 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 recommended for rounded roofs, popular prior to 1950, so they provide homes a luxurious, classic appearance. However, modern styles made from vinyl and plastic offer the best of both worlds, being lightweight and functional. Half-Round gutters are a lot harder to install, but easier to clean out, when the time comes for gutter cleaning.

DOES CLIMATE AFFECT GUTTERS?

The climate of the city you live in will dictate a lot about which gutters you can have. As we mentioned, some materials don’t hold up well in cold climates.

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

Professional gutter installers in Chapel Hill will take several factors into consideration to determine the size and the type of gutters that are going to work the best for your roof.

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 statistic can be found online on the National Weather Service or the U.S. Weather Bureau website. You should also find the maximum rainfall intensity for the city you live in. This is the maximum amount of rain that will occur within a 5-minute span.

Roof Square Footage – Square footage is a standard length times width calculation for residential roofs. However, you 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 less sloped roof. Figuring out your roof-pitch factor is going to help to calculate how much rainfall will actually be collected, regardless of the rainfall statistics found online.

DOES IT SNOW WHERE YOU LIVE?

Snowfall is going to be included in average precipitation calculations, but you also want to be aware of the potential for ice dams. If it snows a lot in your city, you should seek professional guidance concerning the type of rain gutters that help to prevent ice dams, which can really damage your roof.

Of course, the last question is possibly 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 efficiency, versus doing it yourself.

Most homeowners should consider paying a little extra for labor, knowing that the installation will be done correctly. An added bonus of hiring Chapel Hill Gutters to install your new gutters is that we will help you answer all your questions about new gutters so that you find the perfect style and type.