Which Gutters are Right for Your Home?

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

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

An Upgrade – Switching out the gutters can drastically impact the appearance of your home, enhancing its look in a more subtle way than painting or new landscaping.

A New Home – Designing a home comes with a constant stream of choices about appearance and functionality. Gutters are no exception. Deciding on the first gutters that go on your home is important because they should last approximately 20 years or more.

A Renovation – If your home’s roof is damaged, the gutters may need to be replaced. Or, they could simply be aging and need to be replaced with new ones.

You will know why you are replacing the 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 being damaged by ineffective gutters.

Determining your “Why” will help to provide direction while you are shopping. You’ll know if certain features are worth spending your money on or if you can go with a less expensive product.

Here are the major questions you’ll want to consider when it’s time to install new gutters.

HOW TO CHOOSE GUTTER MATERIALS?

The fun part about installing new 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 choices that are durable in most scenarios, besides extremely cold climates, where they can become brittle. 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 materials are both attractive and durable. Both of these materials are available in a wide range of colors as well. They are fairly light and not hard 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 cost the most, but the most attractive as well. Homeowners in Asheville who decide on these materials are looking for an elegant touch, and that’s just what they’ll get!

WHAT ARE IMPORTANT GUTTER FEATURES?

Almost all of the gutter types above will offer both of these options below:

SECTIONAL OR SEAMLESS GUTTERS

Sectional gutters – These gutters come in smaller sections, so they’re 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 have 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 special equipment. They are more expensive to purchase and to install, but 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 virtually any style of home. They are better for angled roofs, which are more common. This one of the reasons for their popularity. Plus, they are easy 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 give homes a regal, established curb appeal. However, modern styles made from vinyl and plastic offer the best of both worlds, being lightweight and functional. Half-Round gutters are harder to install, but they are easier to clean out, when it’s time for gutter cleaning.

DOES CLIMATE AFFECT GUTTERS?

The climate of your region may dictate a lot about which gutters you can have. Like we already mentioned, certain types of materials will not hold up in cold climates.

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

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

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 can also find the maximum rainfall intensity for the city you live in. This is the maximum amount of rain that can happen within a 5-minute span.

Roof Square Footage – Square footage is a simple length times width calculation for standard roofs. However, you will have 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 determine how much rainfall will be collected, regardless of the rainfall statistics.

DOES IT SNOW WHERE YOU LIVE?

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

Of course, the last question is arguably 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 gutters. Professional installation will ensure efficiency, versus doing it yourself.

Most homeowners are better off paying a little extra for professional labor, to ensure that the installation will be done right. An added bonus of hiring AllClean Asheville Gutters to install your new gutters is that we are able to help you answer all of your questions about gutters so that you find the perfect style and type.