Seamless Gutters Will Save Your Siding, Time, and Money and Keep Your Home Exterior Looking New
Rain: it’s good for the garden and good for the grass, but over time rain can cause costly damage. Gutters are very important and people want to know why. To put it simply, gutters are necessary to protect your home from its worst enemy-water. Gutters are designed to divert water away from your home. If your rain gutters and downspouts are working properly they will prevent roof and fascia board damage as well as prevent water damage and basement flooding by re-routing water a safe distance away from your foundation.
Rain Gutters & Downspouts
Rain gutters protect topsoil, keep your siding looking good, and save your basement and foundation from water damage and other rain-related problems. But if you’re not familiar with rain gutters, the choices can seem daunting. Fortunately, that’s why we’re here. Read on for the basics of your rain gutter: what it does and what you need to do for it.
How Much Rain Do You Get?
The first question to ask for any gutter system is what it actually has to do. A house in Minnesota is going to have very different needs from a house somewhere else. Find out the average rainfall in your area, and also calculate the square footage of your roof. That will tell you how much water you get, and how much surface area you’ll have to drain. The more water you get, the larger the gutter and downspouts you’ll need. Gutters come in 5,6 and 7 inch wide varieties, and each inch adds price, so do your math carefully!
This link will give you the yearly rain fall in your area. //countrystudies.us/united-states/weather/ (Courtesy of countrystudies.us)
Choosing Your Rain Gutters
Rain gutters consist of two parts: the gutters and the downspouts. There are two types of rain gutter systems: seamless gutters and sectional gutters. They’re exactly what they sound like: seamless systems are in fewer pieces (there are still some seams for corners and downspouts, but fewer seams by far) while sectional systems are bolted to your house and soldered together, piece by piece.
Seamless systems are preferable, as there are fewer ways for the system to break, but the downside is, they need to be professionally installed. You can install sectional rain gutters yourself and save on the cost, but you’ll need to do an excellent job, and will probably need help.
Secondly, choose materials. The most common type of rain gutters are steel gutters, but there are also copper gutters, zinc gutters, and aluminum gutters. Copper and zinc gutters are generally used only for specific types of houses, and can easily cost five figures for the material alone, but they do look more attractive. Aluminum is cheaper, but not as durable. Regardless of what you choose, get the thickest gutters you can afford: the thicker the material, the stronger and more durable it will be when subjected to the elements.
After you’ve chosen material, choose a size. Rain gutters come in 5, 6 and 7 inch wide sizes. Look up your area’s average rainfall, and consider the weather you live through. If there are a lot of rain storms or other precipitation, wider is better.
Next, there’s the type of rain gutter. The most popular configuration is the K-style rain gutter, but there are also square-shaped gutters and half-round gutters. The choice is more about the design of your house than anything else: all of these will work equally well, so choose one that looks good on your house, and comes in a color that matches your home.
Installing Your Rain Gutters
As mentioned before, seamless rain gutters can only be installed by a professional, while you can install sectional rain gutters yourself. Regardless of how it’s put in, however, there are a few things you need to do. Check each seam carefully for leaks, by running a little water through it. Each seam should be soldered carefully and smoothly. Make sure sure the rain gutters are secured tightly to the edge of your roof. Double check to make sure water flows to the downspouts.
