Which Gutters Are Right For Your Home?

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

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

An Upgrade – Installing new rain gutters can really impact the appearance of your house, enhancing its look in a subtler way than painting or landscaping.

A New Home – Designing a new home comes with a lot of of decisions about both appearance and functionality. Gutters are no exception. Choosing the gutters that go on your house is important because they will need to last at least 15-20 years.

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

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 being damaged by ineffective gutters.

Determining your “Why” will help to give you direction while you are shopping for new gutters. You’ll know which features are worth spending your money on or if you can choose a less expensive 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 of choosing new rain gutters is choosing the materials. Gutters will blend in or stand out against your house, depending on your personal preference.

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

VINYL & PLASTIC GUTTERS

Vinyl and plastic are affordable choices that hold up well in most cases, except in cold climates, where they can become brittle. Vinyl and plastic gutters are sufficient in nearly every region of the country, and they come in a wide range of colors.

METAL & ALUMINUM GUTTERS

These mid-priced materials are stylish and durable. Both materials come in a variety of colors too. They are fairly light and easy to install. Galvanized metals (coated with zinc to protect them) will withstand rust and corrosion even better.

COPPER & STAINLESS STEEL GUTTERS

Of all the rain gutter materials available, copper and stainless steel cost the most, but the most stylish as well. Homeowners in Alpharetta who decide on 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 will offer both of these options:

SECTIONAL OR SEAMLESS GUTTERS

Sectional gutters – These types of gutters are made in smaller sections, so they are easier to install. In fact, most homeowners choose to install their own sectional gutters. 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 should be installed by a professional contractor because they need special equipment. They’re more expensive to purchase and install, but they are 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. Most 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 give 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 a lot 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 determine a lot about the gutters you should install. Like we mentioned, certain materials don’t hold up in cold climates.

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

Professional gutter companies in Alpharetta will take many factors into consideration to determine the size and type of gutters that are going to work the best for your house.

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 weather statistic can be found online on the National Weather Service or the U.S. Weather Bureau website. You can also find 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 standard length times width calculation for basic roofs. However, you need 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. Determining your roof-pitch factor is going to help you determine how much rainfall will be collected, regardless of the average rainfall statistics found online.

DOES IT SNOW WHERE YOU LIVE?

Snowfall is included in precipitation calculations, but you definitely want to consider the potential for ice dams forming on your roof. If it snows often in your region, you need to seek professional guidance about the type of rain gutters that help to prevent ice dams from forming, which could severely 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 on your own, or if you want to hire a professional to install your gutters. Professional installation ensures efficiency, instead of doing it yourself.

Most homeowners should consider paying a little extra for labor, knowing that the job will be done correctly. Another bonus of hiring AllClean Alpharetta Gutters to install your gutters is that we can help you answer all of your questions about gutters so that you are able to find the perfect style and type for your home.