If you had any issues with your rain gutter recently, you may be interested to read the following paragraphs.
Rain gutters play a major role in keeping your home safe and dry. The reason is that if your home won't be dry it won't be safe. Water can go all the way down from the roof to the ceiling and down through the walls. This can weaken and damage the structure.
You'd rather prevent this from happening by taking good care of your rain gutter.
Valuable information from a gutter repair service company
I recently contacted a gutter repair service company and asked them some questions about my rain gutter system. I wanted to know what types of gutters there are and which would be the best for my home. Here is what I got from the conversation:
Vinyl gutters
At first, vinyl gutters seemed like the perfect solution for my house. The color doesn't deteriorate so you don't need to paint or replace it. It's easy to install so maybe I can even install it myself. The price per foot makes it the cheaper option among the different options. How can I go wrong with vinyl gutters?
It turns out that installing vinyl gutters is probably the wrong this to do in my case. Vinyl gutters are good for places where the temperature doesn't drop too much below zero. If it does, vinyl gutters may not be able to hold the weight of snow and ice that can accumulate for days in place like Ontario, where we live. So I realized that in spite of its obvious advantages, vinyl gutters are probably not the best choice for me.
Copper gutters
If vinyl gutters are not the best choice for our winter, why not choosing a material that is known for its ability to endure the weather? Copper is the kind of metal that resists both corrosion and the damaging stretching and contracting effects of temperature changes. Copper has another advantage for many home owners: many people think that its color and overall appearance just look good. Actually Copper does have a certain type of corrosion, but it's a really good looking kind of corrosion - kind of special green that actually adds something to the stylish appearance of Copper gutters.
So why not choosing Copper, you ask? Because of the price. It's the most expensive alternative that I was offered. Sorry, not in my budget. Next.
Galvanized / painted steel
Steel was certainly a strong candidate. It's a strong material. Perhaps the strongest of the options that I had covered in my research. With steel you don't need to worry about the accumulated weight of snow or ice. It can handle a lot. You can also lay your ladder on steel gutters in case you want to climb up and clean the gutters or fix something in your roof. And what about corrosion? Regular Steel or Iron would rust pretty fast, but galvanized steel or painted/coated steel will take more time to rust - maybe 2 or 3 years, maybe even more. But it will happen. Sooner or later you (or the next home owner) will have rusty gutters that are needed to be replaced. With the excessive amounts of rain that we have here in the greater Toronto area and Mississauga, I decided that I need a more corrosion resistant material. Next.
Zinc
This is when I started to think about Zinc. The mysterious metal that I vaguely remembered form chemistry lessons had resurfaced as an interesting option for my home's rain gutter system.
Zinc has a distinct look that many home owners find appealing. Installing Zinc rain gutters can be considered as an investment that pays for itself, because the elegant appearance of the Zinc gutters can elevate the value of the house.
Zinc is a durable metal that doesn't really rust. It very slowly produces a green substance as a result of oxidation. This process can take many years before it even becomes visible. Zinc is also resistant to mold and fungus that can form in high humidity environments such as your rain gutters. So in conclusion, Zinc is a strong, durable metal that makes a good alternative for rain gutters. And the bonus is that even looks good on your home.
So why didn't I choose Zinc? Because it's much more expensive than the last option that I talk about right here:
Aluminum
This is definitely the winner for me. Aluminum almost doesn't suffer from corrosion (maybe some green stuff that you may or may not see here and there after many years, no big deal), it's a quick and relatively easy installation process. Aluminum is strong enough to carry the weight of a ladder and strong enough to endure heavy snow, ice, hail etc. The price per foot of Aluminum gutters is really low comparing to most other alternatives.
One warning though, make sure that you don't put Aluminum gutters next to elements made of Copper as this can cause a negative chemical reaction that
will weaken the gutter. See video:
Hope I helped.here is my recommended rain gutter repair and installation company in the Toronto and Mississauga area.
Amazon Eavestroughing
6331 Crickadorn Court
Mississauga, ON
L5N 2J5
Phone: (416) 789-2749
Fax: (905) 593-3861
Disclaimer
Any graphics, images, videos or information on this site is only presented for illustration purposes. Working on your eavestroughs could be dangerous and could end up in damage or injury. It is always advisable to call a professional eavestroughing company.
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