Seamless Gutters vs. Regular Gutters: Which Is Right for You?
Are you torn between which gutter type to invest in for your roof? Today we break down seamless gutters vs. regular gutters and which is right for you! Read more below…
Do you need new gutters installed on your home? They’re an essential part of the home, as they direct water away from the roof and into drains. Without them, you’re susceptible to all kinds of water damage in your roof, which could even lead to you needing to replace it.
That’s why you should ensure you’re picking the right kinds of gutters. There are two main types: seamless and regular gutters. Which one should you pick for your home?
What Are Seamless And Regular Gutters?
Firstly, you need to know the difference between these two gutter types. Here’s what you need to know.
Regular gutters:
These gutters come in pre-made sections, usually around 10 or 20 feet long. They’re pieced together with couplings or connectors, and so have multiple seams. When they’re attached to the roof, the seams are soldered together to create a seal.
The gutters can be made out of all kinds of materials. For example, vinyl is a popular option as it doesn’t rust, and doesn’t need painting or any other kind of aesthetic care. They’re also one of the cheapest options out there.
Steel is the strongest material for gutters, so you’ll want to consider it if you get a lot of heavy snow. However, they are susceptible to rusting and cracking over time.
Finally, you can have regular gutters made out of copper and aluminum. These are a good material to choose from, as they are very strong and don’t rust. You can even get them in a range of colors too, so they don’t need to be painted.
Seamless gutters:
As the name implies, these gutters don’t have seams. They’re a continuous gutter, made out of aluminum, copper, steel, or zinc. The only joints will be at the corners, where they need to wrap around the roof.
Typically, you’ll see these are roll-formed on a truck-mounted machine, at your home or place of installation.
As there are no seams, there’s much less chance of leakage with these gutters. As such, this is their biggest advantage. They have become more popular in recent years with homeowners.
Which Should You Use Choose?
Like most things for your home, the choice between seamless and regular gutters will lie with you as the homeowner. However, there are some things that each version does better. Here’s what you need to know.
Leakage risks:
When it comes to the risks of leakage, the seamless gutter will have regular gutters beaten. As there are fewer sections, and fewer seams, of course, you’re much less likely to see any issues with the gutters. Of course, they’re not leakproof, as there are some joins and so leaks can happen there. Overall though, the leaks are much less likely to happen.
Of course, if you pick a stronger material and have regular gutters installed by experts, then you’re much less likely to see leaks here, too. You’ll need to think about the importance of preventing leaks. If you’re keeping a close eye on your gutters, then you’ll be able to catch leaks before they become a problem.
Installation:
Whether you’re going to get seamless or regular gutters, you’ll want to ensure that you’re calling on the professionals to help you with it. When you hire them to install for you, they’ll bring their experience, and ensure that the gutters are installed correctly and securely. That will help you get the very most out of them.
You can install sectional gutters yourself, and there are plenty of guides out there that will help you do it. If you want seamless gutters though, then you’ll need to hire professionals. This is because they have to be formed and cut on-site with specialist machinery, so keep this in mind when you’re choosing your gutters.
With regular gutters, you’ll see that they simply ‘snap’ together. That makes it simple for most people to put them together and install them. While it is simple for you to do it, it is still advisable that you have an expert handle it for you.
Lifespan and durability:
Once those gutters are installed, you’ll want them to last for as long as possible. If you have regular gutters installed, you will need to check them regularly for leaks. If you do see a leak or crack forming, then you can remove the section that’s causing problems, and replace it with another one. That is a benefit to this sectional system.
Seamless gutters will also need to be checked, but you’ll see there’s much less chance of leaking. The biggest weak points will be the joints where they wrap around the house. As such, you’ll see there’s much less maintenance to be done on them.
Also, consider any painting that needs to be done. Some regular gutters will need to be painted, and that paint job will need to be redone after some time. Some regular gutters and seamless gutters don’t need painting though, as they come in a range of colors.
Taking care of your gutters:
No matter what kind of gutters you have installed, you’ll see that you can take care of them in much the same way. You’ll want to inspect them regularly for any issues and check for blockages. These can lead to water damage, ice dams, and more, so this is something you need to do. Clean out any debris you see and consider adding a gutter guard to prevent issues.
Which Should You Choose?
Here’s the question: which kind of gutter is right for you? If you’re on a tight budget, want to install them yourself, and are happy to do maintenance, then regular gutters will work better for you. If you want to reduce the possibility of leaks, and don’t want to worry about painting or other maintenance, then seamless gutters are what you want.
Wrapping Up Seamless Gutters
It’s a choice that’s up to you, and the needs of your home. If you want to know more, talk to your local roofer as they’ll be able to make recommendations for you.