Which Gutters Are Right For Your Home?

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

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

An Upgrade – Installing new gutters can significantly affect the appearance of your home, enhancing 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 appearance and functionality. Gutters included. Deciding on the first gutters that go on your house is important because they should last approximately 15 years.

A Renovation – If your roof has experienced damage, the gutters may need to be replaced. Or, they could just be deteriorating and need to be replaced with new ones.

You know why you are replacing the rain gutters on your home, but the reason typically has underlying motivations…

You want to sell your home.

You want to renovate but not spend too much money.

Your landscaping is being ruined by ineffective gutters.

Figuring out your “Why” will provide direction while you are shopping for new gutters. You’ll know if certain features are important or if you can choose a less expensive product.

Here are the major questions you’ll have when purchasing new gutters.

HOW TO CHOOSE GUTTER MATERIALS?

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

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

VINYL & PLASTIC GUTTERS

Vinyl and plastic are affordable materials that are durable in most cases, except in cold climates, where they will deteriorate. Vinyl and plastic gutters are sufficient in most regions of the country, and they come in a wide variety of colors.

METAL & ALUMINUM GUTTERS

These reasonably priced options are both attractive and durable. Both materials are available in a wide range of colors as well. They are fairly lightweight 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 Modesto who decide on 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 below:

SECTIONAL OR SEAMLESS GUTTERS

Sectional gutters – These types of rain gutters are made in smaller sections, so they’re easy 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 more sections where leaks are going to occur.

Seamless gutters – Seamless gutters will need to be installed by a professional contractor because they require special equipment. They are more expensive to purchase and install, but they are less likely to leak 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 more common. This speaks to their popularity. Plus, they are not hard 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 provide homes a regal, classic curb appeal. However, modern styles made out of vinyl and plastic offer the best of both worlds, being both lightweight and highly functional. Half-Round rain gutters are much harder to install, but easier to clean, when the time comes for gutter cleaning.

DOES CLIMATE AFFECT GUTTERS?

The climate of your region will determine a lot about what gutters you should purchase. As we mentioned, certain types of materials will not hold up in extremely cold climates.

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

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

WHAT IS THE FORMULA?

Luckily, the formula professional roofing 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 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 max amount of rain that occurs within a 5-minute span.

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

DOES IT SNOW WHERE YOU LIVE?

Snowfall is included in average precipitation calculations, but you also want to consider the potential for ice dams. If it snows often in your state, you should seek professional guidance concerning the type of rain gutters that best prevent ice dams from forming, which can severely damage your home’s roof.

Of course, the last question is possibly the most important …

HOW TO INSTALL GUTTERS?

You also need to ask yourself if you’re willing to try to do the work yourself, or if you are going to enlist the services of 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, knowing that the installation will be done correctly. Another bonus of hiring Modesto Gutter Service to install your new gutters is that we can help you answer all your questions about gutters so that you are able to find the perfect style and type.