5 Things to Keep in Mind When It’s Time to Replace Your Gutters

Rain gutters aren’t typically recognized to be one of the more glamorous features of your home’s exterior, but they really are one of the most important. Gutters work to effectively drain water off of your roof and direct it safely away from your home’s walls and foundation. When your gutters are working effectively, you probably tend not to give them much thought. But when they don’t work right, gutters can get your attention in a hurry!

Sometimes you’re made aware of the problem when a bucketful of water lands on you from your overflowing gutters. Sometimes it’s more a matter of noticing the effects of water erosion on the ground near your house. In worse cases, malfunctioning or broken gutters can lead to real structural damage with your building’s roof, attic, walls, or all of the above. And once that happens, damage can even occur inside your home, as well.

If you see that your gutters are visibly broken (perhaps from a storm impact), have become leaky, have pulled away from your roof, are sagging, or are sitting at an odd angle, then it’s definitely time to take some action. Metal gutters are designed to last a long time, but eventually, even they will need replacing.

Things to Keep in Mind When Replacing Your Gutters

If the current state of your existing gutters suggests that replacement is now your best solution, there are a few decisions you’ll need to make. Which gutter material will you go with? Vinyl is relatively cheap, but it also comes with its own set of liabilities. Metal can provide more structural strength and stability, but which metal to choose? Galvalume metal, galvanized steel, copper, and aluminum are all common options, and each comes with its own set of pros and cons. Here’s a breakdown of a few key things to keep in mind:

1. Gutter Style & Size

Is your existing gutter size & style really the best fit for your home? If your roof has a steeper pitch, or if you live in an area that gets a significant amount of rain, you might be better off choosing a 6” gutter over a standard 5” gutter. You’ll also need to decide whether your preference is for a K-style (more efficient) or half-round (more aesthetically-pleasing) gutter style.

2. Proper Coverage

In looking to replace your gutters, you may discover that your existing gutter system doesn’t properly account for every draining location on your roof. If that’s the case, you may want to add some new gutter sections which previously didn’t exist with your current system. Having a clear idea of how much guttering you need will help you to plan your project properly, and will also give you a much better estimate in terms of projected cost.

3. Materials & Color

One of the most important decisions to make is to decide upon a chosen material for your gutters. Copper is a fantastic premium choice, and a properly-maintained copper gutter can last for generations. Galvalume metal and galvanized steel are also excellent choices for long-lasting performance. And while copper gutters don’t offer much in terms of color variety, galvalume and galvanized steel come in a pretty wide range of available colors.

4. Check the Condition of Your Fascia

In case you’re not familiar with the term, “fascia” simply describes the board which runs underneath your roof’s edge. Fascia is important in that it helps to maintain the structural integrity of your roof, and it’s also important for the fact that it’s the surface upon which most gutter systems are actually mounted. You need to ensure that your fascia is in good condition before moving forward with a gutter replacement project. If your fascia is rotting or displays some soft spots, you’ll want to repair or replace that before your new gutter installation.

5. Check the Condition of Your Roof

When it’s time for a gutter replacement, that’s the perfect occasion to go ahead and assess the condition of your roof as a whole. Depending upon what you find, it really may make a lot of sense to go ahead and plan for a total roof replacement as well. Better to take care of everything at one time, rather than have some unforeseen roof problems pop up that you weren’t expecting!

Entrust ALL of your Gutter and Roofing Needs to Skywalker – We’re the Roof Experts!

Skywalker Windows & Siding offers a wide range of quality home improvement services, including window replacement, siding replacement, blown insulation, deck & porch additions, and more. But we actually got our start by providing comprehensive roofing, gutter, gutter guard, fascia, & soffit services, and we’re still the experts when it comes to everything roof-related! We’re proud to be the preferred home & business exterior solutions provider for the NC Piedmont Triad, Piedmont Triangle, Charlotte Metro/Lake Norman region, and Roanoke, VA areas.

Reach out to us today to schedule your FREE home or business inspection. We’ll conduct a thorough analysis of your building, and then we’ll sit down with you to objectively discuss our findings and also recommend some best solutions. We also do business a little differently from our competitors, in that we take the time to LISTEN to you as well. We’re not just interested in “selling” you. We’re committed to partner with you to help you choose the best possible solution for your situation, and we’ll walk with you every step of the way.

Really caring about people and helping to meet their needs are foundational components of our core values as a business. In other words, we’re really here to help! Reach out to us online, or simply give us a call at (336) 265-9595 today. We’d be honored to have you experience the Skywalker difference for yourself!