Which Gutters are Right for Your Home?

The number one thing to ask yourself when you are shopping for new gutters is, “Why?” This pivotal question will help to answer most of the questions you’ll have before making your selection.

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

An Upgrade – Installing new rain gutters can significantly impact the exterior style of your home, improving its look in a more subtle way than painting or landscaping.

A New Home – Designing a home comes with a constant stream 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 15-20 years or more.

A Renovation – If your home’s roof has suffered damage, the gutters might have to be replaced, too. Or, they could simply be deteriorating and need to be replaced with new ones.

You will know why you are installing new 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 too much money.

Your landscaping is being ruined by ineffective gutters.

Figuring out your “Why” will often provide direction while you are shopping. You’ll know what 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 fun part of purchasing new gutters is picking out the materials. Gutters can blend in or stand out against your house, depending on your preference.

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

VINYL & PLASTIC GUTTERS

Vinyl and plastic are affordable materials that are durable in most scenarios, other than cold climates, where they can wear down. Vinyl and plastic gutters are sufficient in nearly every region of the country, and they come in a wide range of colors.

METAL & ALUMINUM GUTTERS

These mid-priced materials are stylish and durable. Both of these 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) fend off rust and corrosion even better.

COPPER & STAINLESS STEEL GUTTERS

Of all the gutter materials available, copper and stainless steel cost the most, but are the most attractive as well. Homeowners in Greece who purchase these materials are searching for an elegant touch, and that’s just what they’ll get!

WHAT ARE IMPORTANT GUTTER FEATURES?

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

SECTIONAL OR SEAMLESS GUTTERS

Sectional gutters – These rain gutters are made in smaller sections, so they are easier to install. In fact, 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 can occur.

Seamless gutters – Seamless gutters should be installed by a contractor because they require special equipment. They’re more expensive to buy and install, but they are less likely to leak or wear down 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 far more common. This one of the reasons for their popularity. And, they are easy to install. Many 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 are best for rounded roofs, popular prior to 1950, so they provide homes a regal, established appearance. However, modern styles made from vinyl and plastic provide the best of both worlds, being lightweight and functional. Half-Round gutters are much harder to install, but much easier to clean out, when the time comes for gutter cleaning.

DOES CLIMATE AFFECT GUTTERS?

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

The most important climate factor is how much work the gutters will need to do. Basically, how much water are your gutters going to have to handle?

Professional gutter companies in Greece can take many factors into consideration to determine the size and type of rain gutters that will work best for your house.

WHAT IS THE FORMULA?

Luckily, the formula professional home exterior 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 find 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 standard length times width calculation for residential roofs. But, you will want 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. Determining your roof-pitch factor will help to determine how much rainfall will be collected, regardless of the rainfall statistics found online.

DOES IT SNOW WHERE YOU LIVE?

Snowfall is going to be factored into average precipitation calculations, but you also want to consider the potential for ice dams. If it snows often in your city, you need to seek professional guidance about the type of gutters that best prevent ice dams from forming, which could severely damage your home’s roof.

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

HOW TO INSTALL GUTTERS?

You also need to ask yourself if you’re going to try to do the work on your own, or if you want to hire a professional to install your gutters. Professional installation ensures maximum efficiency, compared to doing it yourself.

Most homeowners should consider paying a little extra for labor, to ensure that the installation will be done right. Another bonus of hiring Greece Gutters & More! to install the 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 for your home.