Which Gutters Are Right For Your Home?

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

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

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

A New Home – Designing a home comes with a lot of of decisions about appearance and functionality. Gutters are no exception. Deciding on the gutters that go on your home is important because they should last approximately 15 years or more.

A Renovation – If your roof been damaged, the gutters might have to be replaced. Or, they could simply be deteriorating and need to be replaced with new ones.

You will know why you are installing new gutters on your home, but the reason typically 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.

Figuring out your “Why” will provide direction while you are shopping for new gutters. You’ll know if certain features are important or if you can go with a more affordable product.

Here are the questions you’ll need to ask when purchasing new gutters.

HOW TO CHOOSE GUTTER MATERIALS?

The fun part of choosing new gutters is picking out the materials. Gutters will blend in or stand out against your home exterior, depending on your personal preference.

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

VINYL & PLASTIC GUTTERS

Vinyl and plastic are affordable options that hold up well in most cases, other than cold climates, where they can wear down. Vinyl and plastic gutters are sufficient in most regions of the country, and they come in a wide variety of colors.

METAL & ALUMINUM GUTTERS

These reasonably priced materials are stylish and durable. Both materials are available in a wide range of colors as well. 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 gutter materials, copper and stainless steel cost the most, but are the most eye-catching as well. Homeowners in Overland Park who choose these options are looking for an elegant touch, and that’s just 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 are easier to install. In fact, 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 will need to be installed by a professional contractor because they require specialized equipment. They are more expensive to buy and 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 great with every style of home. They’re better for angled roofs, which are more common. This one of the reasons for 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 complement rounded roofs, popular prior to 1950, so they provide homes a luxurious, established appearance. However, more modern styles made from vinyl and plastic offer the best of both worlds, being lightweight and functional. Half-Round rain gutters are harder to install, but they are easier to clean out, when the time comes for gutter cleaning.

DOES CLIMATE AFFECT GUTTERS?

The climate of your region may determine a lot about the gutters you should purchase. Like we already mentioned, some types of materials don’t hold up in extremely cold climates.

The most important climate factor to think about is how much work the gutters will need to do. Essentially, how much rain or water are your gutters going to need to withstand?

Professional gutter installers in Overland Park will take several factors into account to determine the size and the type of gutters that are going to work the best for your roof.

WHAT IS THE FORMULA?

Luckily, the formula professional home exterior 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 statistic can be found online on the National Weather Service or the U.S. Weather Bureau website. You should 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 basic length times width calculation for residential roofs. However, you 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 less sloped roof. Knowing your roof-pitch factor will help to calculate how much rainfall will actually be collected, regardless of the average rainfall statistics found online.

DOES IT SNOW WHERE YOU LIVE?

Snowfall is going to be factored into precipitation calculations, but you definitely want to be aware of the potential for ice dams forming on your roof. 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 really damage your roof.

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

HOW TO INSTALL GUTTERS?

You also need 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 ensures efficiency, compared to doing it yourself.

Most homeowners should consider paying a little extra for labor, knowing that the installation will be done right. Another bonus of hiring Overland Park Gutters to install the gutters is that we can help you answer all of your questions about gutters so that you find the perfect style and type.