Gutters play a pivotal role in keeping you, your family, and your home safe from the outside elements. When it comes to replacing your gutters, the first step is to understand what options you have. The two major types of gutters are traditional gutters and seamless gutters. Knowing the differences and the pros and cons of each can help ensure you make the best decision for you. Our gutter installation experts are going to compare traditional gutters vs. seamless gutters.
Traditional Gutters
Traditional gutters come in pre-cut sections. During the installation process the pieces are connected to span the length of the area they need to cover. Since they are separate pieces, the connection points are where water can begin to leak and make it into the fascia or siding of the home.
To prevent this leakage, those connections must be sealed or soldered. However, over time those seals may weaken or the solder may begin to crack. Once this happens immediate repairs need to be done to prevent damage to the home.
Traditional gutters come in a range of different materials like steel, copper, aluminum, and vinyl. While steel is the strongest option, depending on your situation copper, aluminum, or vinyl may be viable.
Pros:
- Multiple material options.
- More cost effective than other options.
Cons:
- More likely to leak and cause damage to the home.
- Require more maintenance and can easily get clogged.
Seamless Gutters
Seamless gutters don’t come in pre-cut sections. They are actually cut on site as a single piece to cover the entire required area. This is typically done by the gutter installer with a special machine that forms and cuts the gutter to an exact length.
Because they are one solid piece, the only sections that have to be sealed or soldered are the end caps. This reduces the chance of leakage and can increase the lifespan of your gutters, soffit, fascia, and siding. While there is still a small chance for leakage, seamless gutters leak far less than traditional ones. Seamless gutters also tend to be stronger than traditional gutters. This makes them ideal for homes where traditional gutters get clogged easily.
Seamless gutters come in the same variety of materials that traditional gutters come in. Our gutter installation experts recommend using steel gutters because they are more durable and typically handle weather better than some of the other materials.
Seamless gutters are more expensive than other types of gutters. However, because they are less likely to leak and stronger than traditional gutters the cost savings over time can be worth it. Perhaps one of the best features of seamless gutters is that they require less maintenance. You might still need to clean them once a year if you have trees near your roof, but overall they perform a lot better than traditional gutters.
Pros:
- Single section of gutter that requires less sealing.
- Less likely to leak.
- Multiple material options.
- Less overall maintenance and longer lifespan.
Cons:
- More expensive than traditional options.
- Take longer to install.
The Winning Option
At Expert Roofing & Exteriors we have a commitment to our mid-Missouri customers to help make the best choice when it comes to gutter replacements. When it comes to traditional gutters vs. seamless gutters, both choices have pros and cons. But, we want to help you make the best decision that will provide the best long-term value. That’s why we have chosen to exclusively install seamless gutter solutions for our clients. While they do tend to be a tad bit more expensive up front, the pros of seamless gutters outweigh the cons in our opinion.
Risk-Free Assessments
Your gutters are an important part of the overall health of your home. If you think it might be time to start looking at your gutter replacement options our team is here to help. You can check out our gutter replacement process post by clicking here. And, our team of gutter replacement experts offer risk-free assessments and can help you make the best decision for your home. To schedule a time for us to come by simply give us a call at (573) 567-3177 or click here to use our online contact form.
