Installing Eavestroughs on your home has long been one of the most important things to have in place specially when your house has a lower level or basement.
When it rains, your roof surface collects water and the water then flows down the size of the roof and drips alongside your home. Over time the water finds its way through the concrete slabs and into your basement. For that reason having a proper gutter system is important to maintain the integrity of your foundation. But in this day an age with so many options and styles and profile, shopping around for a seamless eavestrough system has become quite that process and when you do finally find the right contractor for the job, how do you select the right product and profile for your home?
For that reason we decided to answer some of your questions to help you make an educated and well informed decision on selecting the right product for you!
What are seamless eavestroughs?
Seamless Eavestroughs are aluminum fabricated gutters that; and as the name implies, are seamless. The material comes in aluminum coil (usually 800 – 1000 feet in length) offered in a wide variety of colours, thickness, width, etc. The process of making seamless gutters requires running the coil through a machine which creates the mold of the gutter.
In the past, gutters used to come in 10 foot 3″ wide sections of either galvanized steel or plastic, which are then joined together and cut to fit the home. However nowadays, gutters are made out of aluminum which is a much more durable and long lasting material.
When it comes to replacing your gutters, it is important to consider that just because the gutters are seamless does not make them equally durable and functional. For example, .23 mm gutter coil a think and can sag or damage easily making them undesirable for roofs with multiple valleys and metal roofs. .27 mm gauge thickness on the other hand is a much more durable product being thicker than its counterpart.
What Type of Aluminum Gutter Profile should I should?
The two most popular gutter profiles and seamless eavestroughs in kelowna (and seamless eavestroughs in Vernon) are Fascia Gutters and K Style Gutters. Fascia gutters are molded using a thin wide coil and stand vertically longer then most gutter profiles making them aesthetically favourable however because of the wider coil and thinner material they lack strength and are easy damaged. Fascia gutters cannot withstand the same weight load and ice as K Style gutters for example. K style gutters use a coil 3″ less in width and generally thicker making them very durable and long lasting.
Which gutter drains water better during heavy rainfalls in kelowna?
seamless Fascia eavestroughs are generally installed with 2″ drains due to their base size which is 2.25″ whereas k style gutters are installed using a 2.5″ drain due to their wider base size being 3″ which translates to approximately 20% better water drainage. Now how does that translate into english? When gutters drain faster (due to a faster drain and wider base) there is a less chance ice will collect in the gutter over the winter which causes the gutters to rip off the house specially in the higher elevations in west kelowna and lake country. secondly, when the gutter has a bigger drain it doesn’t clog as easily as a smaller drainage gutter which is why K Style is a more favourable seamless eavestrough in the Okanagan specially if you have a vacation homes or a rental and do not encounter any surprises with damaged gutters.
What about half round seamless eavestroughs in Kelowna?
While we offer seamless eavestroughs in Vernon, and eavestroughs in kelowna year round on a 2 day notice, we only offer half round gutter installations during specific months of the year as depending on the material (aluminum, copper, steal installations can be quite complex with welding requirements etc. Half round gutter installation in kelowna is popular on Tuscany style homes however k style and fascia gutters can be offered in copper as well.
Is there a maintenance free solution?
Absolutely, Alu-rex leaf guards are the best roof and eavestrough gutter guards on the market. Leaf guards prevent any debris from going into your gutters and eliminates the hassle of constantly having to clean your gutters. Learn more about how gutters guards work click here.