How to Select Gutter Installation Services: What You Need to Know
Are there cracks on the exterior of your home? Is your siding beginning to warp?
These are all signs that your home foundation is falling apart. The best (and easiest) way to prevent this is to keep moisture away from your house with gutters.
Not only do gutters protect your home siding from water damage, but they also keep water from pooling on your roof. Before you can get started, you’re going to need to select gutter installation services.
You most likely have many companies in your area that can help, but only one is right for you. Continue reading to learn what you should be on the lookout for.
Do Your Research
Again, you most likely have a lot of options for gutter installers in your area. To narrow down your choices, you’ll have to do your research.
Make sure you’re searching for businesses in your local area. For one, the company will be able to get to your home quickly in the event of a gutter emergency. For two, it will help prevent fraud.
Contact your family and friends to get recommendations. This will give you a few company names that you can plug into Google.
Consider Gutter Installation Experience
After getting recommendations and performing a Google search, you most likely have at least a small list of names. Make it even smaller by looking at their experience level.
If a company has been working in your area for 5+ years, chances are, they know what they’re doing.
If they’ve still worked for over 5 years and have moved around a lot, that’s a little less promising. You’ll need to get in contact with the company to find out why they’re always on the run.
A newer company that doesn’t have quite as much experience may do wonderful work, but it’s not something that you should risk. A faulty gutter installation can do more harm than good.
Insurance Isn’t Optional
Anything can happen during the gutter installation process. One of the workers could fall off a ladder, or they could damage your home by accident.
When worse comes to worst, you’ll be happy that the company you hired had general liability insurance. It ensures that if someone gets hurt, the installation company will cover the worker’s hospital bills.
If your home is damaged during the installation process, the company will be obligated to fix it.
Get Installation Quotes
Your wallet is going to be a huge factor when it comes to comparing gutter installers. It’s recommended to get quotes from at least three different companies to get the best deal.
You don’t want to empty out your piggy bank on the installation job, but you should beware of companies that give you suspiciously inexpensive quotes. If it seems too good to be true, chances are that it is. They most likely use cheap materials.
You should also be wary of companies that give you a quote without visiting your house first. Since gutters have to be custom-built to fit your home, there’s no way that an installer could give you a price estimate without seeing what they’re working with first.
When you’re calling around to get a quote, make sure you ask about gutter guards. You’ll thank yourself later.
Ask About a Warranty
Having gutters installed isn’t cheap. You want to make sure that your investment is covered no matter what.
To this end, ask services about their warranty. This will give you some peace of mind that if the company forgets to install corner caps on your gutters, they’ll come back and do it for free.
If your gutters develop a hole while they’re still under warranty, the installation company will come to repair it at no cost to you.
Read Online Reviews
The best way to narrow your installation company choices down even further is by reading online reviews. Previous customers can tell you a lot about a gutter installer.
By Googling a company, you’ll get instant access to customer reviews. Keep in mind that you may have to do some digging to find quality comments.
If all the reviews seem to be some flavor of negative, you may want to get a second opinion. Go on the company’s site for testimonials or call them and ask for references. Most installers will be happy to give you a list of previous customers that you can call.
Check Credentials
Installers need more than experience and insurance to do their job. In many states, companies have to have certain permits before they can work on homes.
They’re required to be licensed as well. This ensures that they’ve received all the training necessary to install gutters. Nine times out of ten, if a company is licensed, they’re proud of it. They’ll display their credentials on their website where you can see them.
If you can’t find a company’s credentials on the website, you can call and ask.
Ask About Materials
There are a ton of different gutter materials for you to choose from. Most installers will be more than happy to help you pick the right option for your home.
If an installer seems a bit annoyed when you ask for help, they’re not the right service for you. If they don’t have a certain material on hand, that’s also a red flag.
You need a company that has quality materials such as aluminum, copper, zinc, steel, and vinyl on hand.
Aluminum
If you can count on one thing, it’s that almost every installer is going to have aluminum gutters. It’s the most popular option on the market because there are more pros with it than cons.
It’s an affordable material that won’t rust. It’s easy to install because it’s so lightweight.
It’s available in a wide range of colors. If you can’t find a shade that matches your home, aluminum is easy to paint.
This material is weatherproof, and as long as you practice proper gutter maintenance, it will last for 25 years or more.
Vinyl
If you’re on a budget, vinyl has you covered. It’s a cheap material that’s so easy to install that you can do it yourself. Vinyl gutters snap together like Lego bricks.
If you live close to the coast, the salty sea air won’t corrode your gutters. Like aluminum, you can paint vinyl to match your home.
The downside is that the sun will cause colors to fade. When you clean your gutters, you’re likely to crack the material if you lean a ladder against it. Vinyl is also prone to falling apart when faced with extreme temperatures.
Copper
Copper is the most expensive gutter material on the market. Many homeowners like it because it gives off an old-timey feel.
Copper holds up well when faced with almost any type of weather. No matter what, this material won’t warp or fall victim to rust. Copper is beautiful without the need for painting.
While you can DIY vinyl cutters, there’s no way that you can install copper gutters on your own.
Zinc
Zinc is another material that will put a strain on your wallet. The good news is that it’s long-lasting and won’t warp or rust.
As time moves on, the material develops a beautiful patina. Since the joints have to be welded, you’ll need to consult the professionals to have zinc gutters installed.
Zinc isn’t a good gutter material if you live near the ocean. It won’t play nice with the salty air.
Steel
Steel gutters are a little more expensive than aluminum, but not quite as pricy as copper and zinc. It’s a strong material that can hold up well in any type of weather condition.
You can paint steel gutters, but the material is prone to rust. It’s not very DIY-friendly because of how heavy it is.
Communication
Any gutter installation company worth its salt will be open and honest with you every step of the way. They’ll sit down with you and give you a complete timeline of how long the project will take.
You’ll also know how much everything will cost so you won’t get surprised later. If there are project delays, the company will let you know well in advance.
Select Gutter Installation Services for Your Home
When you select gutter installation services, you can’t afford to pick any old company. Poor installation can lead to both roof and foundation issues.
You need to choose a business that has a large amount of experience and an amazing track record. Take the time to compare the installers in your area, and make sure to do your research!
For more tips that will help you keep your house in tip-top shape, visit the Home & Design section of our blog.
