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 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 three reasons homeowners will be shopping for new rain gutters:

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

A New Home – Designing a home comes with a constant stream of decisions about both appearance and functionality. Rain gutters included. Deciding on the first gutters that go on your home is important because they will need to last at least 20 years.

A Renovation – If the roof on your home has experienced damage, the gutters might have to be replaced. Or, they might just be getting too old and need to be replaced.

You will know why you are installing new gutters, 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 getting damaged by ineffective gutters.

Determining your “Why” will help to give you direction while you are shopping for new gutters. You’ll know if certain features are worth spending your money on or if you can go with a more affordable product.

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

HOW TO CHOOSE GUTTER MATERIALS?

The fun part about installing new rain 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 economical choices that are durable in most cases, besides cold climates, where they can become brittle. Vinyl and plastic gutters are sufficient 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 materials come in a variety of colors too. They are fairly light and are not difficult to install. Galvanized metals (coated with zinc to protect them) will fend off 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 White Plains who decide on these options are looking for an elegant touch, and that’s just what they’ll get!

WHAT ARE IMPORTANT GUTTER FEATURES?

Most of the gutter options above offer these options below:

SECTIONAL OR SEAMLESS GUTTERS

Sectional gutters – These rain gutters come in smaller sections, so they are easier to install. In fact, many homeowners decide to install their own sectional gutters. This type is the more affordable choice, and they are made with more seams, which means there are more areas where leaks can occur.

Seamless gutters – Seamless gutters should be installed by a professional contractor because they require special equipment. They’re more expensive to buy 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 far more popular because they look great with every style of home. They’re 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 traditionally made of copper and steel, and they complement rounded roofs, popular before 1950, so they provide homes a luxurious, established appearance. However, modern styles made out of vinyl and plastic offer the best of both worlds, because they are lightweight and functional. Half-Round gutters are harder to install, but easier to clean out, when it’s time for gutter cleaning.

DOES CLIMATE AFFECT GUTTERS?

The climate of the city you live in may determine a lot about the gutters you should install. As we already mentioned, certain types of materials will not hold up well in cold climates.

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

Professional gutter contractors in White Plains can take many factors into account to get a good idea of the size and the type of rain gutters that will work the best for your roof.

WHAT IS THE FORMULA?

Luckily, the formula professional roofing 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 weather statistic is available on the National Weather Service or the U.S. Weather Bureau website. You can 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 basic length times width calculation for basic roofs. But, you have to factor in all the surfaces of multi-faceted roofs.

Roof-Pitch Factor – A steep roof will collect more wind-blown rain than a less sloped roof. Figuring out your roof-pitch factor is going to help you calculate how much rainfall will actually be collected, regardless of the rainfall statistics.

DOES IT SNOW WHERE YOU LIVE?

Snowfall is included in precipitation calculations, but you also want to consider the potential for ice dams forming on your roof. If it snows a lot in your state, you should seek professional guidance about the type of gutters that best prevent ice dams from forming, which can severely damage your roof.

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

HOW TO INSTALL GUTTERS?

You also have to ask yourself if you’re willing to do the work yourself, or if you are going to pay 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 professional labor, knowing that the job will be done correctly. An added bonus of hiring White Plains Gutters to install the new gutters is that we will help you answer all your questions about new gutters so that you find the best style and type.