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Which Gutters are Right for Your Home?

new gutter installation

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

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

An Upgrade – Switching out the rain gutters can drastically impact the appearance 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 included. Choosing the gutters that go on your house is important because they should last approximately 15 years.

A Renovation – If your home’s roof has experienced damage, the gutters may need to be replaced. Or, they could just be wearing down and need to be replaced with new ones.

You obviously know why you are installing new gutters, but the reason usually has underlying motivations…

You want to sell your home.

You want to renovate without spending too much money.

Your landscaping is being damaged by ineffective gutters.

Figuring out your “Why” will help to give you direction while you are shopping for new gutters. You’ll know what features are must-haves or if you can go with a less expensive product.

Here are the questions you’ll need to ask when it’s time to purchase new gutters.

HOW TO CHOOSE GUTTER MATERIALS?

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

These are the options for materials, in order of lowest to highest cost:

VINYL & PLASTIC GUTTERS

Vinyl and plastic are economical choices that hold up well in most cases, other than extremely cold climates, where they will become brittle. Vinyl and plastic gutters are sufficient in most regions of the country, and they come in a wide range of colors.

METAL & ALUMINUM GUTTERS

These reasonably priced options are both stylish and durable. Both of these materials come in a wide range of colors too. They are fairly light and are easy 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 are the most expensive, but are the most attractive as well. Homeowners in Pasco who purchase 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 materials above will offer both of these options below:

SECTIONAL OR SEAMLESS GUTTERS

Sectional gutters – These types of rain gutters come in smaller sections, so they’re easier to install. In fact, most homeowners decide 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 should be installed by a professional contractor because they need special tools. They are more expensive to buy and to install, but less likely to leak or wear down than sectional gutters.

K-STYLE OR HALF-ROUND GUTTERS

K-Style – K-Style gutters are popular because they look excellent with almost any style of home. They are better for angled roofs, which are more common. This attributes to 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 traditionally made of copper and steel, and they recommended for rounded roofs, popular prior to 1950, so they provide homes a regal, classic curb appeal. However, modern styles made out of vinyl and plastic provide the best of both worlds, being both lightweight and functional. Half-Round gutters are a lot harder to install, but much easier to clean out, when the time comes for gutter cleaning.

DOES CLIMATE AFFECT GUTTERS?

The climate of the region you live in will determine a lot about the gutters you can have. Like we already mentioned, some materials don’t hold up in cold climates.

The most important climate factor to consider is how much work the gutters will have to do. Essentially, how much rain or water are the gutters going to need to handle?

Professional gutter contractors in Pasco can take several factors into account to get a good idea of the size and type of rain gutters that will work the 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 weather statistic can be found on the National Weather Service or the U.S. Weather Bureau website. You should also look into 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 basic roofs. But, you will want 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. Knowing your roof-pitch factor is going to help to calculate how much rainfall will be collected, regardless of the average rainfall statistics.

DOES IT SNOW WHERE YOU LIVE?

Snowfall is included in precipitation calculations, but you definitely want to be aware of the potential for ice dams forming on your roof. If it snows regularly in your state, you need to seek professional guidance about the type of gutters that help to prevent ice dams from forming, which could really damage your home’s roof.

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

HOW TO INSTALL GUTTERS?

You also need to ask yourself if you’re going to do the work yourself, or if you want to enlist the services of a professional to install your new gutters. Professional installation will ensure maximum efficiency, compared to doing it yourself.

Most homeowners should consider paying a little extra for professional labor, to ensure that the installation will be done right. Another bonus of hiring Prime Pasco Gutters to install the new gutters is that we can help you answer all your questions about gutters so that you are able to find the best style and type.

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