Which Gutters are Right for Your Home?
The number one thing to ask yourself when you are shopping for new gutters is, “Why?” This important question will help you answer the following questions you’ll have before purchasing your selection.
In our experience as a local gutter service, here are only three reasons homeowners will be shopping for new gutters:
An Upgrade – Switching out the gutters can drastically affect the appearance of your home, improving its look in a more subtle way than painting or landscaping.
A New Home – Designing a new home comes with a lot of of choices about both appearance and functionality. Rain gutters are no exception. Choosing the first gutters that go on your house is important because they should last at least 20 years.
A Renovation – If your roof is damaged, the gutters might have to be replaced. Or, they may simply be getting too old and need to be replaced with new ones.
You obviously know why you are replacing the gutters on your home, but the reason often 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.
Determining your “Why” will often provide direction while you are shopping. You’ll know what features are important or if you can go with a less expensive product.
Here are the major questions you’ll have when purchasing new gutters.
HOW TO CHOOSE GUTTER MATERIALS?
The fun part of choosing new rain gutters is picking out the style. Gutters can blend in or stand out against your house, depending on your personal preference.
These are the choices you will have, in order of cost:
VINYL & PLASTIC GUTTERS
Vinyl and plastic are affordable options that are durable in most cases, other than extremely cold climates, where they will become brittle. Vinyl and plastic gutters are efficient in almost every region of the country, and they are available in a wide range of colors.
METAL & ALUMINUM GUTTERS
These reasonably priced options are both stylish and durable. Both of these materials come in a wide range of colors as well. They are fairly light and are easy to install. Galvanized metals (coated with zinc to protect them) withstand rust and corrosion even better.
COPPER & STAINLESS STEEL GUTTERS
Of all the gutter materials available, copper and stainless steel cost the most, but are the most eye-catching as well. Homeowners in Omaha who decide on these materials are searching for an elegant touch, and that’s exactly what they’ll get!
WHAT ARE IMPORTANT GUTTER FEATURES?
Most of the gutter types above will offer these options below:
SECTIONAL OR SEAMLESS GUTTERS
Sectional gutters – These gutters come in smaller sections, so they are easier to install. In fact, most 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 there are more sections where leaks can occur.
Seamless gutters – Seamless gutters need to be installed by a local contractor because they need specialized tools. They are more expensive to buy 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 great with almost any style of home. They’re better for angled roofs, which are more common. This attributes to their popularity. And, they are not hard 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 give homes a regal, classic curb appeal. However, modern styles made out of vinyl and plastic provide the best of both worlds, being both lightweight and functional. Half-Round gutters are a lot 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 will dictate a lot about what gutters you should purchase. As we already mentioned, certain types of materials will not hold up in 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 rain or water are the gutters going to have to withstand?
Professional gutter contractors in Omaha are going to take several factors into account to determine the size and the type of gutters that are going to work the best for your house.
WHAT IS THE FORMULA?
Luckily, the formula professional gutter 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 weather statistic is available online on the National Weather Service or the U.S. Weather Bureau website. You can also look into the maximum rainfall intensity for the city you live in. This is the max 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. But, you will need to figure all the surfaces of multi-faceted roofs.
Roof-Pitch Factor – A roof that is steep will collect more wind-blown rain than a less sloped roof. Knowing your roof-pitch factor is going to help to estimate how much rainfall will be collected, regardless of the average 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 regularly in your region, you should seek professional guidance about the type of rain gutters that help to prevent ice dams, which could severely damage your home’s roof.
Of course, the final question is possibly the most important …
HOW TO INSTALL GUTTERS?
You also have to ask yourself if you’re willing to try to do the work yourself, or if you want to pay a professional to install your gutters. Professional installation will ensure efficiency, instead of doing it yourself.
Most homeowners are better off paying a little extra for professional labor, to ensure that the job will be done right. An added bonus of hiring A-OK Omaha Gutters to install your new gutters is that we will help you answer all your questions about gutters so that you are able to find the perfect style and type.