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 many of the following questions you’ll have before making 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 – Switching out the gutters can significantly affect the curb appeal of your house, enhancing its look in a more subtle way than painting or new landscaping.

A New House – Designing a new home comes with a lot of of decisions about both appearance and functionality. Gutters are no exception. Deciding on the gutters that go on your house is important because they will need to last approximately 20 years or more.

A Renovation – If the roof on your home has had damage, the gutters might need to be replaced, too. Or, they might simply be aging and need to be replaced with new ones.

You obviously know why you are replacing the rain 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 provide direction while you are shopping. You’ll know what features are worth spending your money on or if you can choose a less expensive product.

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

HOW TO CHOOSE GUTTER MATERIALS?

The fun part about choosing new gutters is choosing the style. Gutters can blend in or stand out against your home exterior, depending on your preference.

These are the choices you will have, in order of cost:

VINYL & PLASTIC GUTTERS

Vinyl and plastic are affordable choices that hold up well in most scenarios, besides cold climates, where they can deteriorate. Vinyl and plastic gutters are acceptable in most regions of the country, and they are available in a wide range of colors.

METAL & ALUMINUM GUTTERS

These mid-priced options are both stylish and durable. Both materials come in a variety of colors as well. They are fairly lightweight and are easy to install. Galvanized metals (coated with zinc to protect them) resist 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 Arlington who choose 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 options 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 easy to install. In fact, many 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 more areas where leaks are going to occur.

Seamless gutters – Seamless gutters should be installed by a contractor because they need special tools. They’re more expensive to buy 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 every style of home. They’re better for angled roofs, which are far more common. This attributes to their popularity. In addition, 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 are best for rounded roofs, popular prior to 1950, so they provide homes a regal, established curb appeal. However, modern styles made from vinyl and plastic offer the best of both worlds, because they are both lightweight and functional. Half-Round gutters are harder to install, but much easier to clean, when the time comes for gutter cleaning.

DOES CLIMATE AFFECT GUTTERS?

The climate of your region may determine a lot about the gutters you can have. Like we mentioned, some materials will not hold up well 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 handle?

Professional gutter contractors in Arlington are going to take several factors into consideration to get a good idea of the size and type of gutters that are going to work the best for your roof.

WHAT IS THE FORMULA?

Luckily, the formula professional roofing 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 online on the National Weather Service or the U.S. Weather Bureau website. You should also find the maximum rainfall intensity for your area. This is the maximum amount of rain that will occur within a 5-minute span.

Roof Square Footage – Square footage is a basic length times width calculation for residential roofs. But, you 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 roof that is less sloped. Determining your roof-pitch factor will help to determine how much rainfall will actually be collected, regardless of the rainfall statistics.

DOES IT SNOW WHERE YOU LIVE?

Snowfall will be included in average precipitation calculations, but you definitely want to consider the potential for ice dams forming on your roof. If it snows a lot in your region, you need to seek professional guidance concerning the type of gutters that best prevent ice dams from forming, which might really 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 do the work on your own, or if you are going to hire 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 labor, knowing that the installation will be done right. An added bonus of hiring AllClean Arlington Gutters to install your new gutters is that we will help you answer all your questions about gutters so that you find the best style and type.