Which Gutters Are Right For Your Home?

The number one thing to consider when you are purchasing 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 in the market for new gutters:

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

A New Home – Designing a home comes with a constant stream of decisions about both appearance and functionality. Gutters are one of them. Choosing the first gutters that go on your home is important because they should last at least 20 years or more.

A Renovation – If the roof on your home has suffered damage, the gutters may need to be replaced. Or, they may just be deteriorating and need to be replaced.

You obviously know why you are replacing the rain gutters on your home, but the reason typically has underlying motivations…

You want to sell your house.

You want to renovate but not spend a lot of money.

Your landscaping is getting ruined by ineffective gutters.

Determining your “Why” will help to provide direction while you are shopping for new gutters. You’ll know if certain features are important or if you can choose a less expensive product.

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

HOW TO CHOOSE GUTTER MATERIALS?

The best part of installing new gutters is picking out the materials. Gutters will blend in or stand out against your house, depending on your personal preference.

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

VINYL & PLASTIC GUTTERS

Vinyl and plastic are economical choices that are durable in most scenarios, other than cold climates, where they will deteriorate. Vinyl and plastic gutters are sufficient in almost every region of the country, and they come in a wide range of colors.

METAL & ALUMINUM GUTTERS

These mid-priced options are both attractive and durable. Both of these materials come in a variety of colors too. They are fairly lightweight and 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 are the most stylish as well. Homeowners in Muskegon who purchase these materials 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 offer these options below:

SECTIONAL OR SEAMLESS GUTTERS

Sectional gutters – These types of gutters come in smaller sections, so they’re easier to install. In fact, many homeowners decide 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 there are more sections where leaks can occur.

Seamless gutters – Seamless gutters should be installed by a professional contractor because they need special equipment. They’re more expensive to order and install, but less likely to leak than sectional gutters.

K-STYLE OR HALF-ROUND GUTTERS

K-Style – K-Style gutters are popular because they look great with virtually any style of home. They are better for angled roofs, which are more common. This attributes to their popularity. And, they are easy to install. Most homeowners are capable 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 before 1950, so they give homes a regal, established curb appeal. However, modern styles made out of 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, when the time comes for gutter cleaning.

DOES CLIMATE AFFECT GUTTERS?

The climate of your region may dictate a lot about the gutters you can have. As we mentioned, certain materials don’t hold up in cold climates.

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

Professional gutter companies in Muskegon can take a lot of factors into account to get a good idea of the size and the type of gutters that are going to work best for your home.

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 can be found 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 occurs within a 5-minute span.

Roof Square Footage – Square footage is a simple length times width calculation for basic roofs. But, you need to factor in all the surfaces of multi-faceted roofs.

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

DOES IT SNOW WHERE YOU LIVE?

Snowfall is going to be factored into precipitation calculations, but you also want to be aware of the potential for ice dams. If it snows a lot in your region, you need to seek professional guidance about the type of gutters that help to 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 have to ask yourself if you’re willing to try to do the work on your own, or if you want to enlist the services of a professional to install your new gutters. Professional installation ensures 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 Muskegon Gutters to install the gutters is that we can help you answer all your questions about gutters so that you are able to find the perfect style and type for your home.