Compass Exteriors has over 20 years of experience installing and repairing gutters on Minneapolis area homes. Our customers love us because we get our projects done on time, on budget, and to their specifications.
How much time do you really spend thinking about your gutters? Probably not that much. And that’s exactly why you may find that they’ve been neglected, and in dire need of cleaning, repair, or even complete replacement. Your gutters are doing a lot of hard, dirty work – they gather all the water from your roof to make sure it drains away from your house. When your gutters become damaged, they need to be repaired soon and restored to proper functioning in order to also save your roof and your walls.
Yes, your gutters also need special attention, as much as any other part of your home. They need to cleaned, maintained, and repaired, or replaced, when damaged, just like anything else. But what kind of damage alerts you to the need to call in gutter contractors?
If left unchecked, your gutters will end up filled with leaves and debris brought on by winds and storms. Branches, leaves, and garbage make its way onto your roof will end up in your gutters, clogging them up.
What that means is that they are no longer efficient in draining your roof, and the water sits on it, creating damage and seeping into your home. Not only that, but the debris in your gutters may be flammable. Call a gutter service like Compass exteriors to take care of it before it comes to that.
Our extended freeze thaw cycle is really hard on Minnesota roofs and gutters. The snow freezes on the roof and in your gutters, creating ice dams. That means the water isn’t draining off your roof, it can seep into your home, and it can lead to a lot of water damage in short order.
Plus, ice in your gutters can add so much weight that it rips your gutters off of your home or create cracks, which may mean you need to replace the whole system.
If your gutters are leaking, there’s no mistaking the fact that there’s a crack somewhere, or improper installation. An expert team like Compass Exteriors can ensure that your gutters are well secured, work properly, and aren’t cracked or rusted through.
Storms are by far the most likely cause of damage to your gutters. Violent winds can tear off your gutters completely, but it’s not the only thing to worry about. Flying debris can also become an issue, like rocks or branches. In the worst cases, fallen trees will also damage your gutters or break them off completely.
It’s best not to let your gutters fall into disrepair or wait for them to be cracked or leaky before you address the issue. If you clean them regularly, protect them, re-paint them, and have experts come to fix minor issues when they appear or install gutter guards and other accessories, you can successfully extend the life of your gutters and prevent rust, cracks, or tearing off completely.
Sometimes, your gutters can’t be saved or repaired. Or you just want to change them. What material serves your purposes best? Which combination of look, price, functionality, and maintenance is the best for your needs?
A material largely used for restoration purposes, copper is a beautiful choice. It doesn’t get rusty, doesn’t need to be painted, and it creates a gorgeous aesthetic. The drawbacks are that they are expensive (but add value to your property!), and they need to be maintained, lest your copper gutters and downspouts get green over time and ruin the look.
Aluminum gutters are far and away the most common. Lightweight, but still strong, they’re made of seamless aluminum, and they are highly customizable. You get to choose the color, the size, and the shape, all meant to work blend with your home’s look.
Vinyl gutters are affordable and accessible, and they tend to be used by DIY-ers. However, it is not the most advisable material in an area like Minnesota. Heavy rains and extreme weather will likely bow and bend your gutters. Even sunny areas aren’t safe – the sun can cause vinyl to crack.
Steel is like a hardier version of an aluminum gutter, faring better in case of fallen branches and other debris, or ladders propped up against your gutters. They’re strong and don’t rust, and you will go years without needing to touch them up. However, they will need to be maintained and painted at some point. But for all its advantages, galvanized gutters come with a high price tag.
It’s best not to let your gutters fall into disrepair or wait for them to be cracked or leaky before you address the issue. If you clean them regularly, protect them, re-paint them, and have experts come to fix minor issues when they appear or install gutter guards and other accessories, you can successfully extend the life of your gutters and prevent rust, cracks, or tearing off completely.
K-style gutters are the most common, and they get their name from their shape, molded to look like crown molding and enhance the look of your home. The structure is rigid, so they tend to be sturdier than half-round gutters.
If you’ve got yourself a 19th century home, then you’ve probably got quarter round or half-round gutters. The advantage of these is that the flow is very effective, but the size is an inch larger than the more common K styles. So, a 6 inch half-round is the same as a 5 inch K-style.
1960s homes are likely to have integral gutters, lined with roofing material and with great capacity – an advantage over other types of gutters. The problem is the increased potential for leaking. It requires fixing every few years.
You may be less familiar with box gutters, because most homes don’t have them. Unlike your regular gutters, a box gutter has a “box” shape, hence the name, and it’s meant to collect water drained into it from two roofs. The downside is that box gutter repair and replacement is significantly more difficult and more expensive, which is why people tend to choose other options.
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