What You Need to Know When Buying Rain Gutters for Your House

Your home’s drainage system relies on your gutters and if they are not working well, your entire property will suffer.

Luckily, rain gutters are able to be upgraded and replaced to fit your needs.

Do you know what you need to look for when you’re choosing new rain gutters? Have you never bought rain gutters before and don’t even know what you need to look for?

If this sounds like you, this article will dive deep into what you need to know about rain gutters and how to choose the type that works for your home.

What to Consider When Buying Rain Gutters

Before you can choose the best rain gutters for your home, you have to think about four things:

  1. Size
  2. Material
  3. Style
  4. Seam

Gutter Size

Most rain gutters are the same, standard size. Your gutters are going to likely be either 5-inch or 6-inch. The difference is not significant, but the bigger option holds more water.

You want to look at your house’s roof before you choose the gutter size. It is possible you may need a customized option.

A majority of roofs, however, will need either 5-inch gutters or 6-inch gutters.

Common Gutter Materials

While you will generally choose this before anything else, it generally comes after you get the size requirements for your house. After all, those cannot be changed!

The material you choose is going to depend on several factors, but it mostly comes down to the pros and cons of the most common options.

Rain gutters are usually made of (in no particular order):

  1. Vinyl
  2. Copper
  3. Aluminum

You can also find other types, like steel or wood, but let’s discuss these three more commonly used gutter materials in more detail.

Vinyl Gutters

The biggest benefit of buying vinyl gutters is that they are less expensive. It doesn’t require a lot of skills to install this type of gutter either because it is lightweight.

One of the disadvantages of having vinyl gutters is that they may need replacing more often because they are not as durable as other options.

Copper Gutters

While copper gutters are more expensive, they are more appealing to the eye, are strong and will last for a long time, and can be seamless.

The cons of this option are that the installation process can be difficult and this may be expensive (as a separate cost to actually buying the gutters themselves).

Aluminum Gutters

Aluminum gutters are not as cheap as vinyl or as expensive as copper. These will last for a long time and are easy to install, but they also have the option to be seamless.

The cons of choosing aluminum gutters are that they are sensitive to changes in temperature and you’ll likely need to repaint them more often.

Gutter Style Options

There are generally two types of gutter styles: half-round (u-shaped) and k-style.

Half-Round or U-Shaped

This is a common gutter style that was used in the past. Even today, however, you will still find this on homes, but it is not as popular as the k-style.

One reason it is less popular is that it will not hold water when it is not supposed to and this can cause problems. Another reason is that it actually is more expensive than k-style.

The installation process for this type of gutter style is more costly because it is more complicated and therefore needs the help of a professional.

People still like this gutter style, however, because it is very unique and stylish in its appearance.

K-Style

This gutter style looks like the letter “K” and has a straight side linked with a curved side.

There are actually several advantages to choosing this style, but most notably, it is less expensive, holds water well, doesn’t break easily, and can come in a variety of colors.

Sectional Gutter or Seamless Gutter

Sectional gutters are the more common option and they are made by connecting several small pieces together to make one system.

Sectional gutters are not as pretty to look at, but they cost less and can work for a long time if they are installed correctly and made from quality materials.

If you choose to get a do-it-yourself gutter system, it will be sectional. The sections are usually about 10-feet long and they will snap in place.

Seamless gutters are another option and they are made with just one large piece. A benefit of a seamless system is that they are less likely to leak because there are no seams and this makes it visually more appealing.

It’s important to note that seamless gutters are almost always going to be made of either aluminum, copper, or steel because of the way they are designed.

Upgrade or Replace Your Gutters Today

You may be wondering what the best rain gutters to buy are and the answer depends on what you need and what you are looking for.

If you’re looking to be more price-conscious or are more concerned about the appearance than anything else, the perfect gutters for you will be different than someone else with a different priority.

There is no single answer for each person about which rain gutters are the best out there, but with this guide, you may be able to narrow down your choices a little more before making a purchase.

If you’re in Calvert County and need help with your roof, contact us today about getting an estimate.

Roofing Contractor Prince Frederick, MD