Gutter Guides, Home Improvement Ideas, Rain Gutters

Gutters & Downspouts: How To Find The Right Ones

If you want to protect your real estate investment, then spending the time and money to install the right gutters & downspouts is an important task. Installing gutters and downspouts will increase the protection of your property since these assemblies are essential in barring the potential water damage that can occur without their installation. Downspouts and gutters help by safeguarding eaves, walls, overhangs, vinyl siding, doors and windows. In addition, rain gutters and downspouts keep the foundation or basement in homes and buildings dry so they are less likely to succumb to the resulting mold, mildew and rot that can occur if the runoff of water is not stopped.

The landscape also benefits from the installation of gutters and downspouts as good drainage will prevent water from puddling which can hurt plants, flowers and the soil.

If you’re in the market for new downspouts and gutters, make a choice that will coordinate nicely with your property. Consider the property’s architectural design. You want to choose guttering and downspouts that can be nicely incorporated into the design as well as enhance its appearance.

Some guttering and downspouts are rounded while others are square shaped. You can purchase gutters and the necessary piping in a variety of materials as well. For more expensive homes, copper gutters and downspouts are a nice accompaniment. Many aluminum gutters and downspouts are seamless which is advantageous as far as avoiding leaks.

Let’s look at the various kinds of gutters & downspouts available today.

Vinyl Gutters

Vinyl gutters often come in white but can also be sold in bronze, copper, green, black, gray, charcoal and brown. One of the advantages associated with vinyl gutters is the fact they don’t rust. They also don’t cost you an arm and a leg. However, if you live in an area where there are extreme weather conditions, they may not be your best bet as far as durability and strength are concerned. Don’t give them a lot of consideration if your area has winters that are filled with gale force winds, ice and voluminous amounts of snow. Vinyl will not be able to withstand these types of extremes for very long. Plus, vinyl really isn’t considered a “green” material in today’s economy as they are often associated with a host of environmental concerns. The product used to produce vinyl or poly vinyl chloride (PVC) manufactures dioxins when it’s made that have been proven to be carcinogenic and equally dangerous environmentally.

Aluminum Gutters and Downspouts

Aluminum gutters are probably the most liked by most consumers. Not only is aluminum lightweight, it comes with a reasonable price tag. Normally, it ranges about $7 per square foot on average to install. It must be treated with protective coatings in order to withstand the abuse associated with the elements. Normally, your guttering made of this material will last around 25 years. You have to be careful with aluminum as it can be damaged easily by limbs or ladders. Although it doesn’t have the same durability of copper or steel, it is still a quality product if it is carefully inspected and maintained.

Galvanized Steel Gutters

Gutters made of steel are resistant to damage caused by branches or the like but can still rust despite being treated with corrosion protection. Depending on the humidity and the type of weather, this type of gutter can last, on average, anywhere from eight to 20 years. Normally, this type of guttering comes in a variety of colors and should be inspected regularly for punctures and corrosion.

Galvalume Gutters

Made of part aluminum with zinc and a steel coating, galvalume has the durability of galvanized steel and the rust resistance of aluminum. The guttering has a gray metallic appearance and gradually fades over time to gunmetal gray. If you choose not to paint it in any colors, galvalume is a very good eco friendly choice. Also, it has longevity, frequently lasting longer than aluminum.

Stainless Steel Rain Gutters and Downspouts

If you want guttering that is strong and enduring, stainless steel is definitely the choice to make. It’s rustproof and typically lasts over fifty years. Although it costs about $20 per foot for installing gutters and downspouts made of stainless steel, the dependability and reliability of the product outweigh its higher cost. Its ability to withstand the elements as well as its absence of paints and coatings makes stainless steel a “green” choice as too.

Copper Gutters and Downspouts

These types of gutters and related piping are the premium product to choose when it comes to any type of gutter installation. Not only are they appealing to the eye, they also are dependably strong and long-lasting. A copper gutter installation can last as long as ninety years. This product is well suited to coastal areas or industrial environments. Copper guttering rarely, if ever, has a problem with any types of leaks, due in large part to the soldering used in its construction. Although copper guttering and downspouts can cost around $20 per foot to install, copper’s recyclability and long life, as well as its lack of need for any maintenance, make it a superior product to install. In addition, copper isn’t treated or painted and retains most of its value thereby making it one of the most eco friendly products around.

Wood Gutters

Several decades ago gutters were incorporated into the eaves of houses and were called integrated or wood gutters. Wood normally has to be treated and waterproofed and there usually is quite a bit of upkeep involved to avoid leaks as well as rotting. Wood guttering is often not installed outside any remodeling or restoration projects. Many gutters of this type are lined with copper. The gutters are not cheap by any means and can run as much as $24 per foot. These gutters need continual maintenance to prevent surrounding structural damage to the fascia, roof and walls.

The type of materials you use for your gutters & downspouts should be founded on the architectural design of the building where you want to make the installation, the allotment of your budget as well as the environmental friendliness of the product. Give the foregoing information your consideration so you can best meet your goals for a gutter and downspout assembly that will meet your overall satisfaction with regards to looks and economy.

Finding The Best Gutter Covers

There are a number of benefits of using gutter covers for your guttering. Personal safety is one of the primary benefits as cleaning gutters can be hazardous when working up high on a ladder. Cleaning gutters is one of the more dangerous tasks a homeowner faces in maintaining his home. What increases the danger is the reality that you have to do the job while working on a ladder. What drives the point home is the fact that over 95% of injuries sustained while using a ladder happen in settings unrelated to work. Therefore, you know the likelihood of getting hurt on a ladder is greater at home than probably anywhere else. That statistic doesn’t do anything for instilling confidence in anyone attempting to clean their guttering.

The Case for Gutter Protection

Other statistics reveal that the most prevalent injury received while on a ladder was a fracture. In addition, over 30% of the people hurt while using a ladder sustained injuries to the legs and feet and a little over 8% of the victims needed hospitalization. Ladder injuries are happening more and more too as the percentage of these types of injuries rose a whopping 50% from 1990 to 2005. All these facts can only lead to one conclusion – ladders aren’t safe. Why take unnecessary risks when you can install gutter covers to reduce your maintenance and likewise add to your safety?

Reducing Liability

Naturally, if you elect not to clean your guttering, you can hire someone for the task. Nonetheless, using gutters covers still offer the homeowner the advantage of reducing his expense with regards to liability and maintenance. If you hire someone to clean your gutters you still are faced with the fact they could also get hurt and you’ll also be saddled with the ongoing cost of keeping the gutters clean.

Finding a Solution

So what do you do in order to rid yourself of the added expense of hiring someone and reducing your risk of injury? If you want to give yourself an edge, the decision to install a rain gutter cover is the best bet regarding reducing your costs and increasing your safety. Let’s look at some added benefits of installing gutters covers to your present guttering.

Benefits of Gutter Covers

Maybe the number one reason you want to install a rain gutter cover assembly is that your guttering will become, for the most part, maintenance-free. No more foliage, twigs and mud to choke your gutters. Plus a solid gutter cover provides the protection to keep your walls and foundation safe from the elements and ensuing damage caused by wind and rain. Even the best gutter cover that money can buy is usually quite affordable. Considering the advantages, you can’t afford not to carefully think about a cover for your guttering.

Drainage Problems

Despite these benefits, some people believe they can get by with just using gutters to protect the walls and foundation of their home from the water damage that can occur if no types of gutters are in place. However, you’re still faced with a drainage issue. If you want to maintain the structural integrity of your house as well as have the proper drainage that clear, unclogged downspouts and gutters provide, then you owe it to yourself to invest in covers for your gutters. With good drainage, you will prevent any damage that can occur to the framework of your house as well as keep your yard in tip-top manicured shape.

For proper drainage, gutters must be in optimum condition. By using gutter coverings this can be readily accomplished. Just think how a choked gutter and downspout can affect your housing. With a good amount of debris, the water has nowhere to go but spatter out on the sides causing exterior damage. It pretty much negates the reason for having a gutter in the first place if you can’t prevent any deterioration from occurring. Not only that, when gutters need ongoing maintenance and become clogged, water can puddle around flowers and plants causing an over-watering situation.

Also if the gutters are obstructed, there is a greater risk that the gutter itself will begin to deteriorate which will just lead to more expense and troubles down the road.

An Aspirin-free Remedy

To save you from the headaches associated with maintaining gutters, gutter coverings provide a logical remedy. Covers of this kind are used to keep out the debris that accumulates and wreaks havoc on the homeowner over time. With high quality gutter covers, you will have functioning gutters that don’t need continual cleaning and will keep the assembly in place as well.

Employ a Professional

Once you find the right covering for your gutters, choose a professional to handle the installation. By doing so you’re assured that the covers will fit correctly and the gutters will work efficiently.

Gutter Protection

Before you’re forced to clean your gutters again, think about protecting them as well as yourself. Investigate the wide variety of products available in local stores and on the internet. If you install screens or filters, you are not really installing a product that is considered gutter protection. Most are made of plastic, metal or wire and still require that you maintain your gutter to a certain degree.

A gutter covering should provide protection from even small debris like pine needles to be the most effective. Many coverings are made of solid PVC with a design that enhances the look of the gutter. Water streams around the nose of the guard and through a slotted funnel. With an adaptable design, most guards can fit nicely with many types of pitched roofs. In addition, most guards can withstand the stormiest conditions.

(Speaking of roofs, if you’re looking to add some gutters to your patio, the types and availability will change according to what sort of patio roof you have. In this case, it’s recommended that you talk to a professional about what your options are.)

Some popular brands and types of gutter covers include LeafFilter, GutterStuff, Gutter Guard, and the Hallett gutter cover. You can also find gutter screens and gutter filters to keep leaves and debris out of your gutters.

Color Choices

Gutters covers come in a variety of colors. This can be a real boon if you choose to install the guttering along with the covers. Covers come in such shades as bronze, black, clay, green, red, brown, charcoal, copper, gray and conventional white.

Keep the above information in mind as you shop online and you’ll be able to find the perfect product for your guttering.

The Rain Chain: Beautiful and Useful

Known by the Japanese name “kusari doi”, the rain chain is a unique alternative for the downspout in a conventional gutter installation. This Japanese invention is both decorative and functional in nature. Normally water that flows through a rain chain is collected in a container or rain barrel for future use or for water harvesting purposes.

Rain Chains: A Definition

Rain chains are a progression of cups made of metal that are tied together with an outlet in each cup for the passage of water. Originating in Japan centuries ago, rain chains are the Asian version of a downspout. Because most rain chains are made of copper, they develop a patina over time that gives them an old-fashioned or antique finish.

Song for a Rainy Day

Any ordinary rainy day will become more melodious if you have a copper rain chain in your midst. Imagine listening to the soothing sound of the rain as well as watch the droplets cascade along the links and through ornate stylish copper cups. In Japanese history, rain chains were used to harvest water for later use. Rain chains not only decorate your landscape they provide an essential purpose as well. Why settle for the mundane look of a vinyl or aluminum downspout when you can add a decorative accent that provides the same function?

Gardening Decor

Besides replacing downspouts with rain chains, you can also use them in your garden. Suspend a rain chain over a ceramic pot or rain barrel among your calla lilies or daffodils. Not only are they a good drain when it rains, they are also useful in harvesting water in your garden for use there.

Wherever you want to place them or their particular use, they’re a very nice item in and around your property. Using a Japanese rain chain can make any stormy day much more inviting.

Low Maintenance

The Japanese rain chain is an appealing item that is low maintenance as well. Besides removing a small amount of leaves, you won’t have to do too much in the way of care especially in the case of copper. Over time, the copper will develop a blue-green patina that will give it an antique look which will even add more to its already agreeable aspect.

Shopping for Rain Chains

You can buy rain chains, direct on the Internet. The cups of the chains come in a variety of styles and several materials. Besides the copper rain chain, you can choose from brass, iron or aluminum. A copper rain chain is a long-lasting item. Its weight is light and it’s durable. In addition it doesn’t corrode as some metals do or rust like aluminum or iron will. Most rain chains are about 8 feet, 6” in length. Cups come in a myriad of shapes and designs and include copper varieties as – slotted square cups, square cups, calla lily cups, flared cups, bells, scallop cups, and ribbed cups.

Positioning Rain Chains

Find a select corner of your house or position rain chains at each corner where a downspout would normally be situated. They will easily attach to the gutter. Water rushing through rain chains can be likened to the soft streaming waters of a fountain. It is very soothing to listen to this harmonious flow of water on a rainy day. No more hearing the fury of water coursing through a downspout. Not only can they serve to direct the water away from your house when it rains, rain chains can be used to direct the flow to other areas of your yard if you so choose.

Other Materials

Chains come in several materials besides the primary material of copper. Usually brass will darken over time while aluminum will maintain its silver color although it will acquire small pits of oxidation on its exterior. Copper will darken and acquire its blue-green patina.

Link vs. Cup Designs

You can use rain chains in cold as well as hot weather. There is a style especially created for your geographic area. If you’re wondering, rain chains can handle a large quantity of water running over their links and from their series of cups. Probably link designed chains are the best representation of original Japanese rain chains. On rainy days, water will spatter more as it goes through rain chains made of this style than when water is running through cup style rain chains. Therefore, because water has a tendency to splash more when the link style is used, probably a cup design is more appropriate if you want to place rain chains near windows, doors or walking paths. Link designs have simple lines and an open look. They are versatile as they work out well in pastoral settings as well as with a more modern motif. The Zen loop and double loop links look the closest to the Japanese version.

Cup styles act as channels and are more effective when it comes to the flow of water. Even during heavy rains, cup styles do not splash to any significant degree so they have versatility when it comes to placement. Cups are available in many styles and themes.

Simple Installation

To attach rain chains to your guttering, use an attachment piece inserting it into the hole where the downspout once was set and voila you rain chain is connected to the gutter. Depending on the length of rain chain you purchased, you may need to shorten it depending on your personal preference.

Potential Drawbacks

In some cases it’s a good idea to anchor rain chains down in severely windy conditions. Some retailers provide copper dishes that catch the water and provide loop attachments to affix the chain to the bowl. There may be a little problem with excess weight on the chain in icy conditions. Still, most people comment on the crystal beauty of the links on sunny, icy days.

Rain chains are a wonderful way to decorate the outside of your home. Take some time to shop the Internet. You’ll find a design that will make any rainy day suddenly become cheery and bright.

Gutter Guides

Gutters & Downspouts: How To Find The Right Ones

Finding The Best Gutter Covers

The Rain Chain: Beautiful and Useful

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Gutter Guides

Gutters & Downspouts: How To Find The Right Ones

Finding The Best Gutter Covers

The Rain Chain: Beautiful and Useful

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