2 Types of Gutter Systems

If you live in an excessively wet area where it rains often, taking the necessary precautions to protect your home is fundamental. So, in today’s article, we’ll talk about the different types of rain gutters that you can use for your home. By knowing your options, you can prevent wet roofs and walls.

Gutter sections and downspouts

First off, understanding the main purpose of rain gutters is key to knowing the damage that you can prevent by installing them.

Rain gutters sit beneath the roof. Gutter sections are the structures that collect rainwater while downspouts (which are connected to the gutter sections) direct the water from the roof down towards the ground.

So, the main purpose of gutter systems is to flow water downwards to prevent homes from any water damage. With these, water won’t accumulate on the roof and will flow freely down the pipes all the way to the ground.

Types

Gutter sections and downspouts come in all kinds of shapes, materials, and colors. Picking out the one that best goes with your home’s exterior appearance that’s resistant and long-lasting at the same time is fundamental. Below, we’ll show you different types of gutter sections to consider.

Box gutters

Box gutters go hand-in-hand with a home’s material and exterior. As a result, they create visual completeness and don’t break a home’s aesthetics.

They go right below the roof. These, with their downspouts, are designed for the home from its initial planning. In other words, they’re not add-ons that are installed after the construction of the home.

Installed gutters

Half-round gutters

Half-round gutters are the more traditional and widely-used type of gutters in the construction market because they come in different sizes and materials. However, the most common ones are made with PVC because of its lightweight, resistant and several color options.

The U-shape gathers water at the base while flowing it quickly down the downspouts. Clients can pick out the best color to go with their home exteriors.

K-style gutters

K-style gutters are more resilient than half-round gutters. Design-wise, they’re more complex, and can better resist the weight of water while lasting longer. They’re called “K-style gutters” because their shape is like a K.

Unlike other gutter options, these are deeper, allowing them to deal with larger quantities of water. These gutters also come in a wide variety of materials and colors. However, aluminum and iron are the most common.

If you want a strong gutter, K-style gutters are the right ones for your home. However, keep in mind that they aren’t very visually pleasing as they’re chunky and stand out.

Also, consider all of the gutter section and downspout factors that we talked about earlier in this post. What you want to aim for is protecting your home against external factors that can damage it slowly over time.

Always be wary of these kinds of possible problems and incorporate elements in your home that can help you prevent them. Failing to do so could mean large projects to fix wet roofs and walls damaged by rain.