The Pros & Cons Of Seamless Gutters

You might not have paid much thought to the type of guttering you have on your property until now, but you really should. This often neglected but vital drainage system is there to steer water away from your roof and property in order to protect it from damage.

If your guttering system is faulty, this can lead to a number of problems, including leaks and structural issues.

So, if you’ve noticed that your guttering is old, broken or needs replacing, this should be pretty high up on your list of priorities.

The hard part is deciding which type of guttering to buy now that seamless guttering has soared in popularity. Do you stick with the traditional system, or do you go for something more modern?

Well, that’s exactly why we’re here. We’re going to help you decide which guttering is right for your home by looking at the pros and cons of seamless guttering below.

What is seamless guttering?

Before we start to weigh up the good and the bad, let’s quickly look at what we mean by seamless guttering and how this differs from the traditional drainage system.

In a nutshell, seamless guttering is a system that only has joints at the corners where it meets with the downspout. This style of guttering tends to be made from aluminium, copper or painted steel.

There are several key differences between this and regular guttering, and these include:

• Regular guttering is sectional and is made up of numerous different parts joined together with brackets
• Whereas seamless gutters don’t have these joints in the middle
• Traditional sections of guttering can be cut to size and made to fit the house, as these typically come at set lengths
• Seamless guttering needs to be constructed more carefully from a single piece of metal, so it is made to measure

These key differences are going to impact the type of guttering you choose for your property, but to help make things a little clearer, we will now weigh out the pros and cons of going seamless.

The pros of seamless guttering

Let’s start by looking at why you should invest in seamless guttering for your property. Some of the key reasons you might wish to choose this drainage system include:

Reducing clogs and leaks

The joints in traditional guttering can lead to weak spots that eventually become blocked by dirt and debris, causing this to leak or overflow. This can result in water damage to the building. However, by minimising the number of joints and seams, you can reduce the risk of clogs, leaks and damage.

It’s worth noting, however, that while seamless guttering is more resistant to leaks and overflows, it is not totally leak-proof.

Making maintenance easier

It’s vital that you look after your guttering to make it last longer and ensure it is protecting your property as best it can. Seamless guttering can be much easier to clear out than traditional gutters with lots of joins and brackets. This means it is less hassle to maintain and will last for longer.

These are made to measure

As these are made to the specs of your property, you know seamless gutters will fit snuggly and look great. This can also add value to your property. You cannot guarantee this with regular guttering, especially if you install it yourself.

You get a better warranty

Finally, because seamless gutters are made for you, they tend to come with a much better warranty. In fact, they could come with anywhere between 10 years to a lifetime guarantee, so you are better protected should something go wrong or break.

The cons of seamless guttering

We know we’ve made it sound pretty great, but it’s important to be aware of some of the limitations of seamless guttering as well. Here is a list of some of the downsides to this type of drainage system:

It’s more expensive

As it’s made to measure and needs to be installed by a professional, this does mean that seamless guttering is more expensive than traditional. However, as we said above, because it’s more expensive, you do tend to get a better warranty on it.

You can’t install it yourself

If you’re very much into DIY, you might be thinking that guttering is something you can do on the weekend. This is not the case with seamless gutters, as these need to be fitted by someone with the tools and know-how. Therefore, you’ll have the task of finding a reliable professional to fit them.

They may not always be suitable

Last but not least, depending on the type of roof you have on your home, these may not always be a suitable solution.

This is quite a rare issue, but for those properties with more ornate roofs with lots of angles, seamless guttering might not be cost-effective. In these cases, you might be better off sticking to the traditional sectional guttering instead.