Do I Need Oversized Gutters For My Home?
At Ned Stevens Gutter Cleaning of Long Island, we regularly receive and answer a range of different questions, including the common "Do I need oversized gutters on my home?" Continue reading to learn the answer to this common gutter question.
Are Oversized Gutters Right For My Home?
Gutters are manufactured from a variety of materials and come in various lengths and sizes to match the uniqueness of your home and your needs. Whether you need oversized gutters on your home will depend heavily on which gutter system provides the best protection for your roof, ceilings, walls, and foundation particularly during the rainy and wintry seasons. In recent years, we’ve seen customers upgrade their gutter systems as a requirement from their insurance companies.
Like so many things in life, when it comes to gutters, one size does NOT fit all! The professionals at Ned Stevens Gutter Cleaning of Long Island will help you decide if oversized gutters are right for your home and offer you a range of different gutter installation options.
Does My Home Need Gutters?
Have you ever wondered "Seriously...are gutters necessary for my house?" Gutters and downspouts are important structural accessories for any home. They are not necessarily used to provide curb appeal.
Gutters and downspouts are functional and when properly installed and maintained they will channel the flow of water off the roof and away from the structure’s foundation. This prevents foundation damage, water damage due to leaks and interior flooding, structural damage, e.g., to the walls and ceiling, and insect and mold infestation. All of these can result in unnecessary expenses for repairs or replacement.
What Size Gutters Do I Need to Install?
A properly functioning gutter is one that has the right size, is properly installed with an adequate pitch and reinforced Zinc Alloy gutter hangers to prevent it from pulling away and/or falling off. Since everyone's home is unique, the professionals at Ned Stevens Gutter Cleaning will carefully inspect your home to determine which size will suit your needs. Factors that influence gutter size include:
The 5" gutter is the industry standard size for residential use, but 6", 7", and even 8" gutters are available since they can provide more functionality and protection for residential or commercial properties.
What Types of Roofs Benefit from Oversized Gutters?
The type and size of a structure’s roof will have a lot to do with the proper gutter size need. Roof pitch and angles will also be predominant factors. Water runs off faster from a roof with a steeper pitch such as an open gabled roof compared to a flat roof. Roofs with valleys will collect large volumes of water resulting in the runoff traveling at a higher velocity and entering the gutters with a marked increase in force.
This can increase the chance of overflowing, leaking, and flooding. Water also runs off quicker from a metal roof than an asphalt roof. Nevertheless, oversized gutters can help to overcome the runoff problems posed by the various differences in a structure’s roof.
What Are the Benefits of Oversized Rain Gutters?
Of recent, more and more homeowners and commercial customers seem to be going for larger gutters. The reasons are wrapped up in the various benefits they offer. Here are three main benefits to consider when deciding on installing large rain gutters.
Efficient Drainage
Larger gutters, e.g., those 6-inches in size, can drain much more water than the 5-inch ones and in a shorter time. When installed together with the oversized downspout, water runs off at a faster rate. Larger downspouts can also easily filter out debris passing through from the gutters. Needless to say, gutters should be cleaned regularly or protected with gutter guards to prevent clogging and standing water.
More Protection from Water Damage
The main purpose of gutters is to reduce the risk of water damage. Larger gutters bump up the level of protection because they have the capacity to convey larger amounts of water from the roof and away from land in less time. For example, if the gutter is 40 feet or longer and can accommodate only 1 downspout, then a 6" gutter may provide greater protection. It also saves you money in the long run.
Work Better with Complex Gutter Systems
The design of the house or roof size sometimes call for a more complex gutter system layout that can handle a larger volume of water. For example, there may be two rows of gutters with gutters on the second story draining into gutters on the first story. In such cases, oversized gutters can provide more effective drainage.
Contact Ned Stevens of Long Island for the Perfect Gutter System
Oversized gutter installation is best handled by gutter specialists. Ned Stevens Gutter Cleaning of Long Island offers professional gutter installations on Long Island, including Suffolk County and Nassau County.
Our trained and licensed experts know how to calculate the right size gutters required and the right angle for positioning during installation to optimize gutter functions. We use high-quality gutters from among the best in the industry and will install them using state-of-the-art methods, tools, and technology. You can also add the MicroGuard gutter protection to help prevent clogging and improve drainage.
