Do you have gutters on your home that are in dire need of replacement? They could be leaking water, peeling paint, or simply not doing their job as well as they could. Consider the following
factors when selecting new gutters for your home so you can tell your installer what you want.
Gutter Construction
Your choice for the construction of the gutters will depend on how much you want them to be customized to the shape of the roof. You can get commercial gutters that come in sections or have seamless gutters made on site.
Seamless gutters are a continuous piece of metal that extends across the entire edge of your roof. They not only look great once they are installed, but they are a bit more practical for wide roofs that require a long run of continuous gutter material.
The smooth edge along the inside of the gutters makes it a bit easier for debris to slide to the downspout, and the gutters are less likely to leak because of the lack of seams. Of course, they must be installed by a professional due to the special equipment needed to create them.
Commercial gutters are what you normally think of when you see gutters at your local home improvement store. They come in small sections that are typically 10 feet long, and they must be connected together to form the length needed. The seam is sealed with a bead of silicone to prevent it from leaking, but it is a point where the gutters can fail later. This is why many homeowners prefer seamless gutters to avoid future problems.
Gutter Material
You'll also need to select what the gutter material is made out of, with common options including aluminum, copper, and vinyl. Aluminum gutters are incredibly popular due it being frequently used to construct seamless gutters. The material also will not rust once it is installed, so it will continue to look great for years to come. You can always paint aluminum later on if you want to change the color, with white being very common.
Copper gutters have a distinct look that will stand out on your home, but they do come at a more premium price. While you're able to paint any type of metal material, you really do not want to paint copper if that is what is being put on your home. This is because of the patina effect that copper has as it ages, giving your home a distinct look that can be very appealing.
Vinyl is a material that is only used in sectional gutters, and it is one of the cheapest gutter materials that you can get. It can be a great choice if you're on a budget and need to get working gutters on your home, but they won't hold up as well over the years and may start sagging or cracking from wear and tear.
Gutter Guards
If you're tired of cleaning out your gutters, consider getting gutter guards as a way to prevent debris from getting trapped in them. They can be added on to either commercial or seamless gutters, and eliminate a lot of the maintenance that is needed. You can get a solid of mesh material to put on top of your gutters to limit what gets caught inside them, or a solid material that limits the opening where water flows into the gutters. Thankfully, you can add gutter guards later if you are unsure if you want them at the time of the installation.
Reach out to Mr Gutter Norva for more information about installing new gutters
on your home.