Which Gutters are Right for Your Home?

The very first thing to consider when you are shopping for new gutters is, “Why?” This question will help to answer many of the subsequent questions you’ll have before purchasing your selection.

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

An Upgrade – Installing new gutters can drastically affect the curb appeal of your house, improving its look in a subtler way than painting or landscaping.

A New Home – Designing a home comes with a lot of of decisions about appearance and functionality. Rain gutters are one of them. Deciding on the first gutters that go on your house is important because they will need to last approximately 15-20 years.

A Renovation – If the roof on your home has had damage, the gutters might have to be replaced. Or, they could just be deteriorating and need to be replaced with new ones.

You will 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 ruined by ineffective gutters.

Figuring out your “Why” will give you direction while you are shopping for new gutters. You’ll know if certain features are must-haves or if you can go with a more affordable product.

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

HOW TO CHOOSE GUTTER MATERIALS?

The best part about installing new gutters is choosing the style. Gutters will blend in or stand out against your house, depending on your personal preference.

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

VINYL & PLASTIC GUTTERS

Vinyl and plastic are economical choices that hold up well in most scenarios, except in extremely cold climates, where they can become brittle. Vinyl and plastic gutters are acceptable in almost every region of the country, and they are available in a wide range of colors.

METAL & ALUMINUM GUTTERS

These reasonably priced materials are attractive and durable. Both materials come in a wide range of colors too. They are fairly light and not hard to install. Galvanized metals (coated with zinc to protect them) will resist rust and corrosion even better.

COPPER & STAINLESS STEEL GUTTERS

Of all the gutter materials, copper and stainless steel cost the most, but the most eye-catching as well. Homeowners in Philadelphia who choose these materials are looking for an elegant touch, and that’s exactly what they’ll get!

WHAT ARE IMPORTANT GUTTER FEATURES?

Most of the gutter options above offer these options:

SECTIONAL OR SEAMLESS GUTTERS

Sectional gutters – These types of 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 less expensive choice, and they are made with more seams, which means more areas where leaks are going to occur.

Seamless gutters – Seamless gutters should be installed by a contractor because they need specialized 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 great with almost any style of home. They are better for angled roofs, which are far more common. This one of the reasons for their popularity. And, they are easy to install. Most homeowners are proficient enough to install their own K-Style gutters.

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

DOES CLIMATE AFFECT GUTTERS?

The climate of the region you live in may determine a lot about the gutters you can have. Like we mentioned, some materials don’t hold up in 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 the gutters going to have to withstand?

Professional gutter installers in Philadelphia are going to take a lot of factors into consideration to get a good idea of the size and type of gutters that will work best for your house.

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 is available on the National Weather Service or the U.S. Weather Bureau website. You should also look into 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 simple length times width calculation for basic 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 roof that is less sloped. Knowing your roof-pitch factor is going to help to calculate how much rainfall will be collected, regardless of the rainfall statistics found online.

DOES IT SNOW WHERE YOU LIVE?

Snowfall will be factored into 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 region, you should seek professional guidance about the type of rain gutters that help to prevent ice dams, which could severely damage your roof.

Of course, the final 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 pay a professional to install your gutters. Professional installation ensures maximum efficiency, instead of doing it yourself.

Most homeowners are better off paying a little extra for labor, to ensure that the job will be done correctly. An added bonus of hiring Philadelphia Gutter Solutions to install your gutters is that we can help you answer all of your questions about gutters so that you find the best style and type.