Much like your roof, gutters have a set life expectancy. However, your gutters will more likely than not age differently from your roof. While there are several reasons behind this, the biggest culprit for the aging discrepancy is the gutter material. Your gutters are made out of a different material than your roof, and as such, they will eventually wear out beyond repair at a different time. But how often should you replace your gutters? Ultimately this comes down to not only the material and material grade your gutters are made of but also how frequently you perform routine maintenance on the gutters. To help, here is what you need to know about your gutters and how often the gutters might need to be replaced.
Impacts on your Gutter’s Life
Before diving into the lifespan of your gutters, it is important to know what kind of variables will affect your gutters and potentially shorten the time between replacements.
For starters, one of the biggest impacts on your gutters (and really the rest of your house) is the foundation of your home. If there is any kind of shift in your home’s foundation, it will cause the gutters to pull away from your home. It can also cause some separation, not to mention it will cause issues with how the gutters direct water from the roof, making the foundation problem more of an issue. It is why you need to replace the gutters when the time comes because while you may not want to spend the initial money if water flow leads to foundation problems, foundation repair is far more expensive than replacing your gutters.
While there’s only so much, you can do to prevent foundation problems with your property. You can clean out the gutters regularly. Ideally, you will clean them semi-annually. Whether in the spring and once in the summer or at other points of the year, cleaning out the gutters will prevent debris buildup, ensuring water flows correctly. It will also help you avoid water-logged tree branches and leaves from weighing the gutters down.
Steel and Aluminum
Typically, aluminum and galvanized steel gutters are the most common gutters found on residential properties. This is because the build material is durable and inexpensive. The metal will not weigh down your roof. As long as you take proper care of these gutters, you can expect to squeeze about 20 years or so out of your gutters.
It is important to point out that this is a general guideline, not a set rule. Many times, aluminum gutters have lasted far longer than 20 years. Of course, to do this, you not only will need to make sure your gutters are cleaned out, but you should trim away any long tree branches from your roof as well. There is a little bit of luck involved regarding the overall life of your gutters. Over two decades, you never know what might fall down and strike the gutters. It can be anything from tree branches to frozen water during the winter. But as long as you take care of your aluminum and galvanized steel gutters, you should expect about 20 years or so from the gutters.
Copper Gutters
There is nothing like the look of copper on a home. Copper has a beautiful visual splendor that other build materials cannot replicate. Of course, copper is also valuable, which is why you often do not see a copper gutter installed on a property that isn’t fenced off or in an extremely exclusive community. Having copper gutters run around the entirety of a property is a considerable investment, but when it comes to looks, there isn’t anything else like it. And thankfully, as long as the copper gutters are taken care of, the life expectancy is also exceptional.
When copper gutters are taken care of and cleaned out twice annually, you can expect the gutters to last around 50 years or so. This is over twice the life expectancy of aluminum. There is another added benefit to using copper gutters as well. When it comes time to replace the copper, there is a resale market for the copper material. So, while you’re likely unable to net any real financial gain out of replacing galvanized steel gutters, you will be able to get some of your money back with the copper gutters. Combine this with the fact the gutters will last 50 years, and you may decide it is a suitable material to consider.
Not exactly sure what kind of gutter material you should consider for your house? Before you absolutely decide to go with copper, it is highly recommended to consult with a contractor, such as the team at Charlotte Roofing Specialists. This way, you’ll know exactly what to expect, how much it might cost, and any other factors involved with such an installation. All of these answers can be had by giving the staff a call or sending a quote request form from the website.
Help With All Your Roofing Needs
Whether you need to install new gutters, want your roof inspected, or believe it is time to install a new roof, the team here at Charlotte Roofing Specialists is here to help. Our staff can handle everything from answering all of your questions and providing you with a free, no-obligation estimate to coming to your home and performing the job. So, whether you’re just curious or ready to start installing new gutters or other roofing maintenance, all you need to do is give our customer service staff at Charlotte Roofing Specialists a call at your earliest convenience.
