Seamed vs. Seamless Gutters: Which is Right for You?
One of the biggest confusions (or should we call it a battle?) that comes down during home maintenance is the installation of gutters. Since there are seamed and seamless gutters of a wide variety in the market, it is always a question. Seamed vs. seamless gutters – which is the best for your home? Let us find out.
Set aside all your concerns and reservations. We will take you from scratch and walk you through everything you need to know about both gutters before making your important purchase as an addition to your home.
Without keeping you waiting, let’s jump right into the details.
What are Seamed Gutters?
What does the fancy name “seamed gutters” denote precisely?
Seamed gutters also known as regular or sectional gutters, are the conventional and most basic type of gutters you could find.
These gutters come in segments. You can purchase as many as you need per your requirement and bind them together using snap-in connectors.
As you might have already guessed, it saves up the labor cost for you. If you’ve got some good handyman skills, you can easily DIY it. If you fall on the other side, you will need professional help.
Pros and Cons of Seamed Gutters
Are seamed gutters a good choice for your home?
Let’s decide once we analyze their pros and cons in detail.
When it comes to gutters, seamed gutters are one of the most affordable options. You do not need to break an arm and a leg to purchase it. It’s cheap and widely available.
In addition, they are also easy to install. If you have what it takes, it is a no-brainer to install seamed gutters. All it will take is for you to correctly place it and connect it at the seams, and you will be good to go.
Cheap and easy to fix! What about the downsides? Does it have any? It does! Let’s discuss the drawbacks of having seamed gutters at your home.
Seamed gutters are quite weak materials in the game. Calm down; they won’t get broken in a week. They are durable (we can hear you sigh).
Seamed gutters will last for more than seven years upon VERY GOOD maintenance.
So what are they weak at? Well, they can become prone to leakages over time which is one significant disadvantage of using them.
In case of leakages, it can link you to several other problems ranging from small to big, giving you real pain.
Want to have a glimpse at what would happen if leakages occurred?
You asked for it; here you go – in case of gutter leakages, the house’s foundation will gradually weaken, and the landscape may wash away. (Will not happen overnight but with time). What would happen after some time? Your basement will ooze with a flood. Or your house will face a bazillion construction problems due to the weakening foundation.
In addition, if the walls in your home get drenched in water through leakage, they can weaken over time and collapse at their worst.
What’s more?
Seamed gutters are also good at collecting debris and other materials in addition to water which can contribute to clogging. So you must keep an eye on and stick to a cleaning routine to avoid any problems.
They will also sometimes collect water in the gutters. Good for mosquitos – they can reproduce and breed happily.
Anything more to keep in mind?
The last one of the cons is that the seamed gutters will also overflow during heavy precipitations as their size is SMALL. But do not worry much about it, as it will only happen during VERY HEAVY rainfall, snow, etc. But fact!
What are Seamless Gutters?
As the name suggests – “seamless.”
Seamless gutters do not come in sections as seamed gutters. They are continuous and single pieces. You will have to get to the store, customize the length per your need, and get it cut using special machinery.
How do they work? What are the pros and cons? Are they a good choice for your home?
Let’s find out as we move further.
Pros and Cons of Seamless Gutters
Seamless gutters are much more durable than seamed gutters. They are also significantly less likely to clog and leak. You will need less maintenance on them as they will be good on their own.
Cleaning the seamless gutters is also straightforward, so you need not take on a hassle. Most companies do the cleaning for free too.
They are strong, robust, durable, leakage-free, and clogging-free, providing a gorgeous outlook to your home.
What is the drawback?
Seamless gutters are expensive!
And they are also challenging to install. Don’t think about doing it yourself unless you want to screw up big time.
You will need professional assistance to get the job done neatly and correctly, which will load up your budget (labor cost).
Seamed vs Seamless Gutters
Let’s get down to the ultimate comparison to summarize our above discussion into a concise chart.
| Seamed gutters | Seamless gutters | |
| Durability | Depends on the type of material. (generally can last up to 7 years) | Can last up to 20 years |
| Budget | Affordable | Expensive |
| Maintenance | More | Less |
| Outlook | Average | Aesthetic |
Which Type of Gutter is the Best?
When choosing a gutter, it all comes down to two factors to make the better choice.
- Your budget
- The geographical location
Depending on your home’s geographical location and budget, you can choose between the two gutters.
Analyze your environment’s weather and climatic conditions and see which gutter would work better.
If you are living in a dry climate, seamed gutters will do. What if you are living in a wet environment with continuous rainfall? Seamless gutters it is!
Are Seamless Gutters More Expensive than Regular Gutters?
Yes!
Regular gutters are more affordable than seamless gutters. But they perform great, and you can worry less about anything with them at home. Even though the initial cost is high, in the future, you will not have any more charges in the name of repairs, etc.
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