Published on: December 01, 2021
Siding, gutters and roofing all go hand-in-hand to protect your home from all kinds of hazards. From insects to precipitation, the exterior of your home helps ensure your valuables stay safe inside.
Gutters are often overlooked and underappreciated fixtures that homeowners forget to clean and don’t replace as often as they should. The result can mean damage to far more expensive areas of your home, such as the roof or siding.
We’ll examine how siding, gutters and roofing come together to protect your home’s exterior and cover important considerations when evaluating the health and longevity of your existing gutters.
Gutters move water away from your home in a strategic fashion. Gutters run along the edges of your roof to catch rainwater to send it away from your home’s foundation. Then downspouts carry it toward the road to prevent pooling that could lead to costly damage, including the following.
Gutters do require some maintenance to keep the water running through them, prevent clogs and avoid damage to your home. Some signs that your gutters need attention include the following.
These can be signs it’s time for new gutters or it could be a sign that you need to clean your gutters. If cleaning does not work to resolve these challenges, you’ll know it’s time to replace your gutters.
Gutters generally last as long as a quality installed asphalt roof – 20-25 years. If you’re replacing your roof or siding, you should quote the gutters at the same time. It can be more economical to preemptively replace your gutters before you see signs of major issues because you could save a bit on the install price because the contractors are already completing work on your property.
Gutter maintenance includes five main areas.
Given the life expectancy of gutters being about the same timeframe as roofing and siding, it’s a good idea to replace your gutters when you replace your roofing or siding.
Additionally, if you change the color of your home’s siding, your gutters will no longer match, which could make your home less attractive and lose some curb appeal.
You’ll save some money on combining the services if you use the same contractor to complete both home projects, which can be a great benefit.
When comparing the difficulty level of do-it-yourself installation for siding, roofing and gutters, you’ll find gutters are the easiest to install yourself.
However, even minor mistakes could pose risks to your foundation due to the gutters failing to move water away from your home the way that they are supposed to. Or a mistake could lead to water pooling on your roof or running along your siding in a way that is less than ideal.
So while you might be able to watch some YouTube videos about gutter installation and accomplish the task in a weekend, that doesn’t necessarily mean that you should.
Protecting your home’s exterior is essential and has no margin for error like painting or minor maintenance to the inside of your home. Gutter replacement is better done by a licensed contractor.
Hiring a gutter, siding and roof replacement contractor feels daunting for most homeowners. That’s because you don’t have to replace these areas of your home very often. As a result, you might not have any experience seeking a contractor for this work.
But rest assured, with the proper steps and measures, you can hire a quality, reliable contractor that will do great work on your home. Here are a few tips to ensure you hire the best contractor for the job.
Research online reviews for that contractor. See what they get good ratings on and not-so-great ratings on. You also want to make sure they are licensed, bonded and fully insured to protect you from liability in case anything happens while they are on your property.
Warranties for siding, gutters and roofing come in two types. The first is the manufacturer warranty, which protects you from defects or weaknesses in the materials that the contractor uses on your home. The second is on the labor that the contractor completes. You should have a good warranty on both of these items.
Contractors that don’t provide a workmanship warranty will not stand behind their work. Even with the highest quality contractor, installation can go wrong or minor mishaps during the project could lead to minor issues for the homeowner. Ask about the labor warranty before choosing your contractor.
Choose your top two or three contractors and invite them to come out to give you a quote. Avoid blindly choosing the contractor with the lowest quote. Ask questions during the quote process to learn more about the contractor’s policies, such as how and when they collect payment, what happens if something goes wrong and more.
Discuss your material options with that contractor, especially if you want a specific manufacturer or style. Each contractor might have different vendors that they work with.
Waiting another day to get your gutters, siding or roofing project underway is another day you put your property at risk. By installing a new gutter system, you can prevent costly damage down the road, which means it can actually help you save money in the long run.It’s easy to learn more about your options. Just give us a call or request your free in-home estimate and consultation using our convenient online form!
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