Take a trip to your nearby home improvement store and stroll into the roofing and gutter supplies aisle. Pick up one of the gutter fittings. You are most likely hefting a very thin piece of aluminum. It’s Do-It-Yourself (DIY) grade, not the stuff professional gutter contractors use. Why would this make a difference?
Gauge for Yourself
Steel and copper thickness is measured in gauge. Your house is probably wired in 14 or 12-gauge wire, plenty thick enough to carry electricity without risk of fire.
The higher the number, the thinner the steel or copper, so if you have galvanized steel or copper gutters, they are most likely between 28 gauge and 16 gauge. Substantial and sturdy, neither metal will yield to dents and warping when installed in those gauges.
Aluminum is measured in thousandths of an inch. Most professional gutter contractors work with 0.027, which is 27-thousandths of an inch thick. Better is 0.032, which has noticeably more heft and will outlast the thinner stuff.
Unfortunately, because DIYers seldom have the right tools for every task, the stuff in the big-box stores is often very thin aluminum, 0.025, or even extremely thin 0.019.
Such thin metal is easy for the DIYer to cut and install. The trade-off for the great feeling of accomplishment by installing inferior gutters yourself is thin, short-lived gutters likely to dent and bend under ice or water loads.
Go Pro
For aluminum gutters that will last, ask your gutter contractor for the serious stuff: 0.027 or, better, 0.032. Also consider other materials, such as copper with its gorgeous patina and lasting value.
A thicker gutter aluminum will not deform under load, will outlast any DIY gutter, and will perform far longer than thinner products. Thicker seamless gutters may cost slightly more, but consider how long they will protect your house. Their per-year cost is low.
Seamless
Seamless, thick-walled aluminum gutters protect your home’s foundations, add curb appeal, and are great accent lines on your home’s facade. Professional installation of sturdy, reliable 0.032-thick aluminum, or heavy-gauge copper, gives beauty and practical benefits to your home.
Thick, solid metal plus great installation from highly trained gutter technicians is the magic formula to long-lasting gutters.
Allstate Exteriors & Restoration Services is the name to trust with gutters, roofing, and more in Central Ohio. Contact us today to learn more about the right gutters, in style and material, for your needs.
