Purchasing new gutters for your home should be like any other purchase you make: Informed, simple, and easy.
Here at Top Dog Home Pro, we understand that there are some gutter questions you as a homeowner want to have answered prior to making a decision with moving forward with a gutter installation project.
While seamless aluminum gutters are very inexpensive overall, there are factors you will want to first consider prior to having them installed on your home. That is why today, we will share with you a quick guide to understanding gutter options at your disposal by answering some very common gutter questions/concerns!
5 Common Gutter Questions Answered!
Prior to reading about the five questions we often get below, here are two articles to seriously consider reading in addition to this one:
These two deserve a few more reading minutes, which is why we highlight the importance of each. Now, let’s answer some other questions you might have about rain gutters!
1. What is the best material to use for gutters?
We often get asked what the best material to use for gutters is and our answer is always the same – it depends.
The reason being, it depends on your budget, the color you are going for, where you live, and how long you want them to last. That said, the absolute best material regardless of price is going to be either steel. However, these also happen to be the MOST expensive gutters possible, and by more expensive we mean about 500% more expensive.
Taking this into consideration, with pricepoint, durability, color selection, and installation all combined – seamless aluminum gutters are your best bet! They have a wide variety of colors and they’re extremely hardy.
Seamless gutters are always a must, and regardless of the material, you want to make sure they’re custom fit and seamless, below we answer why!
2. Are seamless gutters worth it?
YES! Seamless gutters are 100% worth it. In fact, no company installs sectional gutters (if they do, they’re most likely not reputable). Sectional gutters are the “DIY Gutters” and they only lead to problems, headaches, and issues.
These problems can all be easily avoided when you only use seamless gutters. Just considering the names – seamless meaning no seams and sectional meaning sections – you can obviously see which one would have more leak problems.
Not to mention, the price point is pretty much the same and long-term sectional gutters need to be replaced more often, thus actually costing more.
3. What is the difference between regular gutters and seamless gutters?
Seamless gutters are custom fit and created on-site to fit your home. Seamless gutters are what you would consider regular gutters. Almost all homes have seamless gutters installed.
Sometimes, the confusion lies with sectional gutters which are prefabricated pieces of gutters that are connected together and installed with seams. As we mentioned earlier, these are a truly inferior product and in most cases, we wouldn’t even recommend installing them on your shed!
4. Are 5-inch or 6-inch gutters better?
Depending on personal preference, the answer to this question can vary. However, if you are going with full functionality, in this case, bigger is better. Six-inch gutters are much larger, thus they can hold more water during torrential downpours. If you happen to live on the east coast in a state like Virginia where you get heavy storms in the summer, these storms dump a lot of water all at once.
Six-inch gutters can handle heavy storms, where five-inch seamless gutters cannot always handle all the water. Additionally, the downspouts are 3×4 inches with 6-inch gutters vs 2×3 inches with 5-inch gutters, therefore the larger downspouts can displace more water quicker!
For more information, read this article elaborating on gutter styles and sizes!
5. Which gutters last the longest?
The longest-lasting gutter question is a bit of a loaded question. Aluminum gutters can last for 40+ years when properly maintained (aka leaves never accumulate in them). Gutters that are not properly maintained and in a heavily forested area can easily accumulate with leaves which can lead to unneeded wear and tear within just a year or two.
That said, for the sake of this question, let us assume gutters are properly maintained. In that case, seamless aluminum, steel, and copper gutters will last for a long time. They are designed to last 20+ years.
Also, be sure to always ask about the gutter warranty (product & labor) before selecting a contractor! Here at Top Dog Home Pro, we offer a LIFETIME no-clog warranty when we install gutters without Raindrop gutter guards.
The Verdict –
Are the other factors to always consider when doing any type of exterior remodeling work? Of course!
Like anything, when it comes to gutters you might have questions about drainage solutions, colors, and sizes, but overall the process is pretty simple. If you are interested in getting a quick gutter quote to estimate your expenses, use this gutter calculator.
Additionally, if you have any questions or would like to learn more, do not hesitate to reach out below to inquire more!
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