Which Gutters Are Right For Your Home?

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

In our experience as a local gutter service, here are only three reasons homeowners might be in the market for new gutters:

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

A New House – Designing a home comes with a lot of of decisions about both appearance and functionality. Gutters are no exception. Choosing the first gutters that go on your home is important because they should last at least 20 years or more.

A Renovation – If your home’s roof has suffered damage, the gutters may have to be replaced. Or, they might simply be aging and need to be replaced.

You will know why you are replacing the gutters, but the reason often has underlying motivations…

You want to sell your home.

You want to renovate without spending too much money.

Your landscaping is being ruined by ineffective gutters.

Determining your “Why” will often give you direction while you are shopping for new gutters. You’ll know which features are must-haves 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 about purchasing new gutters is picking out the style. Gutters will blend in or stand out against your home exterior, 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 affordable options that are durable in most scenarios, besides extremely cold climates, where they will wear down. 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 mid-priced materials are both stylish and durable. Both of these materials are available in a wide range of colors too. They are fairly light and are easy 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 the most attractive as well. Homeowners in Des Plaines who purchase these materials are looking for an elegant touch, and that’s 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 rain gutters come in smaller sections, so they are easy to install. In fact, homeowners choose to install their own sectional gutters on their own. This type is the more affordable choice, and they have 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 specialized tools. They are 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 popular because they look great with almost any style of home. They’re better for angled roofs, which are more common. This one of the reasons for their popularity. Plus, they are not hard 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 before 1950, so they provide homes a regal, established curb appeal. However, more modern styles made from vinyl and plastic provide the best of both worlds, being lightweight and functional. Half-Round gutters are harder to install, but they are easier to clean, when the time comes for gutter cleaning.

DOES CLIMATE AFFECT GUTTERS?

The climate of the region you live in will dictate a lot about what gutters you should install. Like we already mentioned, some types of materials don’t hold up well 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 rain or water are your gutters going to need to withstand?

Professional gutter contractors in Des Plaines will take several factors into account to determine the size and type of rain gutters that are going to work the best for your roof.

WHAT IS THE FORMULA?

Luckily, the formula professional home exterior 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 statistic can be found 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 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 basic roofs. But, you need to figure 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 to estimate how much rainfall will actually be collected, regardless of the rainfall statistics.

DOES IT SNOW WHERE YOU LIVE?

Snowfall is going to 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 state, you need to seek professional guidance concerning the type of rain gutters that help to prevent ice dams, which might 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 willing to try to do the work yourself, or if you are going to pay a professional to install your new gutters. Professional installation will ensure maximum efficiency, instead of doing it yourself.

Most homeowners are better off paying a little extra for professional labor, to ensure that the installation will be done correctly. Another bonus of hiring Des Plaines Gutters Plus to install your gutters is that we are able to help you answer all of your questions about gutters so that you are able to find the best style and type.