K-Style Gutters: Everything You Need to Know
September 11, 2019You’ve probably come across the term “K-style” when researching for your gutters replacement project. In this blog, Gutter Helmet® of Eastern NY takes a closer look at this popular gutter style.
Gutter Profiles
There are two types of gutter profiles: half-rounds and K-style gutters. Half-rounds are essentially pipes cut in half lengthwise and are typically seen on traditional home styles. K-style gutters are angular, with a profile that looks like crown molding when seen from the ground. They can complement just about any home and roofing style.
Why Is It Called K-Style?
Despite being the most popular gutter installation option, many people do not know where the term “K-style” comes from. Some speculate that the profile looks vaguely like the letter K, others guessed that someone whose name starts with the letter K had a hand in the design. As it turns out, the truth is much simpler.
The Sheet Metal and Air Conditioning Contractors National Association (SMACNA) assigned letters to twelve profiles that were in use when angular gutter design was still in its infancy. K-style is the 11th of these styles, hence the letter K. The K-style actually has an S-shaped flourish that gives it the appearance of crown molding. This is also the reason why some refer to K-Style gutters as “ogee,” a colloquialism for any architectural element that incorporates the same S-shape in its profile.
Advantages of K-Style Gutters
K-style gutters offer more than just looks. The flat back of a K-style gutter makes the installation easier and more secure. More importantly, K-style gutters have significantly higher rainfall capacities, which makes them ideal for climates that experience significant amounts of precipitation. While the corners do make gutter cleaning a bit onerous, having a good gutter cover like Gutter Helmet solves that problem.
Gutter Helmet of Eastern NY is your leading provider of seamless gutters and gutter protection systems. Give us a call at (866) 252-9400 or fill out our contact form to schedule an appointment.
