Gutters collect, control, and guide the rainwater that falls on your roof. Rarely given the appreciation they deserve, these unsung heroes ensure that runoff is properly drained away from your house. They protect many parts of your home, including the siding, the windows, the doors, and (most importantly) the foundation from water damage. And with proper installation and maintenance, they can last for decades. If you’re looking to repair or replace your residential gutters, Taylor-Made Roofing can help.
Residential Guttering Options
Although there are rare exceptions, most homes require gutters to collect rainwater and carry it safely away. Many different types of residential gutters are available, and we can help you decide which products make sense for your home.
Sizes and Profiles
There are two basic profiles for gutters: K-style and U-style (also called half-round).
- K-style gutters have flat bottoms, flat backs, and a decorative front. They generally don’t resemble the letter K, but they do have curves or ogees that mimic crown molding, and they’re available in a variety of designs.
- U-style gutters are half-round tubes. They’re more common on older, traditional homes, and they don’t hold as much rainwater as K-style gutters.
Residential gutters are typically available in a few different diameters, including 4-inch, 5-inch, and 6-inch. Wider gutters cost more but are less likely to clog or overflow, making them a better choice for homes that have large, steep roofs and homes located in areas with heavy downpours. The gutter experts at Taylor-Made Roofing can determine the optimal size for your roof.
Materials
Residential gutters are available in a variety of materials, including all of the following:
- Aluminum: Popular choice, low-cost metal, won’t rust, wide variety of colors, available in a seamless option, heavyweight aluminum is very strong, lightweight aluminum may bend or dent
- Vinyl: Least expensive option, limited choice of colors, won’t rust or rot, becomes brittle in extreme cold and intense sunlight, not as strong as other materials
- Steel: Treated to prevent rust, available in a seamless option, a strong metal
- Zinc: Strong and rustproof, weathers to an attractive matte gray, vulnerable to acidic runoff (from cedar-shingled roofs), more expensive than other options
- Copper: Strong and rustproof, long-lasting, available in seamless options, oxidizes to matte brown (in months) and then blue-green (over decades), expensive
Guttering Systems
Gutters are just one part of an efficient rainwater collection and distribution system. The gutters capture the water shedding off the roof, the end caps close the ends of the gutters, the fascia brackets support the gutters from below, the downspout guides the water to the ground, and the downspout brackets secure the downspout to the house.
Looking to purchase a new guttering system? Most gutters are installed on existing roofs. However, if new gutters are added during re-roofing, the installation is simplified and the gutters can be better integrated into the roofing system.
Maintenance
Debris will inevitably find its way into your gutters, so it’s important to have them cleaned out periodically. How often should you have them cleaned? This depends on how much debris enters your gutters (nearby trees may necessitate more frequent cleanings), but it’s common to clean gutters at least twice a year: at the end of spring and the end of fall.
To learn more about our residential guttering services, please contact Taylor-Made Roofing today at 417-326-8778 (toll-free) or 417-326-8778 (local).